Pictures of You
by Skones
Summary: Seattle Grace assists when a huge hotel fire leaves many victims wounded. In the commotion, Arizona can't find Callie, but she does find someone else... What happens when she finds Callie? Can Arizona help her through this tragedy? COMPLETE
1. Polaroids

**A/N: Hi... :) So this is a story I started kind of randomly after I ended 'Escaping' so please tell me if you would like to read more. I have kind of an idea of where this could go, but it could stand alone as a one-shot if no one is interested in reading more. I know the beginning is kind of slow but bear with me :D All my stories are more angsty now for some reason...**

**Thanks for reading, tell me what you think, like, don't like... **

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**Pictures of You**

Triage, a medical emergency. A word that strikes the core of every doctor, firemen, paramedic or surgeon. It's a word that fills them with terror, sadness and even anger. People die, everyone knows it, but in some professions the reminder is inescapable. Some surgeons walk out of the OR and try to forget the patient whose heart stopped beating during surgery or the baby they failed to save. Firemen can save a huge amount of people from a burning building and try not to remember the screaming they heard from the floor above, the floor they couldn't get to. Paramedics find the living, they find the dead but they don't have to hear the fate of the one's they rescue. They hand them off to the doctors. Sometimes they succeed in masking death, but with triage, everyone is confronted with death. They catalogue it and assign it color-coded tags. Mass causalities, the dead and the dying all grouped together, needing immediate attention.

Arizona was no different, she hated triage, she hated to have to wait by the front doors of the hospital for dying children to show up. She hated wading through a sea of victims tagging them and moving on, when all she wanted to do is hold their hands and assure them that everything is going to be all right. It was leaving behind the patients that she couldn't deal with, tagging them then moving on, being unable to see them through diagnosis, surgery then recovery. On good days she hoped that she wouldn't have to cut anyone open, but on the rare occasion that shouts of 'get the triage kits' or 'the ambulances are arriving' were heard around the hospital she couldn't find that streak of optimism.

Today was one of those awful days, a triage day. It had been one of the rare sunny days in Seattle. The kind of perfect day with the totally clear, cloudless sky and a calming, warm breeze that gently stirred the leaves on the trees. Arizona had woken up late, delighting in having a leisurely morning alone with her girlfriend until they had to go into the hospital at noon. Callie had left at nine with some mysterious excuse, but promising to explain later. Slurping down another cup of coffee Arizona had walked into the hospital just after lunch, eager to see some of her long-term patients after rounds. But only a few moments after she entered the hospital a flurry of activity started in the ER and spread quickly through the hospital.

"Dr. Robbins!" Arizona spun around coming face to face with Bailey. The shorter woman was anxiously organizing her triage kit and slinging the bag over her shoulder.

"Dr. Bailey, what on earth happened? Everyone is running everywhere and getting triage kits but no one has told me what's happening." The blonde ran a hand nervously though her messy blonde curls as she attempted to analyze Bailey's expression to give her some clue to what was going on.

"A huge hotel fire at The Pavilion across town. It caused some of the floors to collapse and there are lots of burn and crush injuries that need immediate attention." Bailey explained shortly, scanning the ER floor for one of her elusive residents. "Most of the residents are already at the scene, it's mostly the new interns here right now so they'll have to grow up fast until we get back."

Arizona nodded intently, already losing any hope of having a leisurely slow day at the hospital. "So, what can I do?"

"The rest of the attendings are either at the scene or waiting for the ambulances. You should probably stay at the hospital with the arriving patients. Make sure someone is responsible for informing families and try to assign someone to get a list of patients from other hospitals because most of the families are being directed here. Karev's system worked a couple of years ago, have an intern take pictures of the patients and put them up on the board for families to identify." Bailey paused as Arizona furrowed her brow and strained to memorize all of the instructions. "Where the heck is Torres, you two are usually attached at the hip right now?"

"She ran off for some… mystery reason. She said she'd be back soon though. Thanks Bailey, I've never run a triage here before…"

"Good luck Dr. Robbins, keep those new interns in line for me!" Bailey called over her shoulder as she rushed toward the back exit to the hospital. Arizona stood stock still for a moment digesting the huge amount of information that Bailey had just given her. Repeating the instructions to herself in a low murmur Arizona straightened her lab coat in nervous anticipation and headed outside to wait for the incoming ambulances.

She was greeted by six, nervous but very excited, looking interns who stood by the ambulance bay fiddling anxiously.

"Okay, my name is Dr. Robbins, I'm head of the PEDs department. This is going to get hectic very quickly so when ambulances start arriving I need you to go where you're needed. I won't always have time to tell you where to go, but no matter what, don't get in the way." Arizona tried to act cool and confident in the face of such a huge disaster but inside fear twisted in her stomach. Truthfully she probably felt as nervous as the interns. "And I need one of you to be in charge of updating families," she continued as she observed the scared expression written across the intern's faces. "All the un-injured family members will be directed here since we are the largest hospital in the area. So one of you needs to contact other hospitals and try to find lost family members. Take Polaroid's of the unidentified survivors and post them in the lobby."

Six hands immediately shot up in the air, the interns looked hopeful of escaping some of the terrifying commotion.

"Look, your first triage is always scary but think of it as a very busy ER since you aren't being asked to go to the scene. So…" Arizona looked over the interns thoughtfully, "you." Arizona said, pointing to the third intern from the left, a taller, brown haired boy who was almost shaking with anxiety. "You can be in charge of the families, okay?" He nodded and Arizona turned around, trying to muster up a smile as she faced the rest of the interns.

"You know how this works?" She crossed her arms over her chest as the interns all nodded nervously. "Okay, so now we wait…" Fiddling with the fabric of her trauma gown, Arizona watched the street praying that the ambulance wouldn't bring in a child. Where was Calliope when she needed her? Normally when things got like this she would page Calliope. Her girlfriend would be by her side at a time like this, talking her through the tough situations and murmuring words of comfort in her ear. Granted this probably wasn't the time or place to be wishing for time alone with her girlfriend but Arizona couldn't help it. Calliope didn't usually run off like that. She loved sleeping in until the last possible minute, or engaging in less innocent morning activities with Arizona. On mornings they had off, Calliope _never_ left_ early_.

The blaring of sirens filled the air, effectively relegating any thoughts of Calliope to the back of her mind. Well, almost the back. She let a shaky sigh escape her lips before nodding to the interns. "Ready?" Not waiting for an answer, the blonde rushed to greet the paramedics motioning hurriedly for the interns to follow.

"Thirty five year old male, severe burns to the face and a crush injury to the lower leg." The paramedic jammed a folder into Arizona's hands and handed the stretcher off to her bewildered interns. "I need to get back," the paramedic yelled, as he jumped into the back of the truck. "You've got lots of trauma coming in!"

Arizona nodded briefly and handed off the folder to one of her interns. "Take him to trauma one, I'll be in after the next ambulance comes. Monitor his injuries; page me or another attending when you finish… Go!" The sound of sirens was already blaring from just around the corner; Arizona took a deep breath and steeled herself for the next patient. She tried not to be overwhelmed. Exhaling slowly, Arizona visualized Callie's clear brown eyes. She loved Calliope's eyes; they were always so focused and expressive. Every emotion that flashed across Callie's face Arizona could read in her brown eyes and the familiar image of them in her head was calming.

The ambulance raced around the corner, bringing Arizona back to the painful reality. "One at a time," Arizona muttered to herself under her breath. "Take them one at a time…"

"Fourteen year old girl, crush injuries to both legs and severe burns to her hands. She had a pulse in the field but we lost it about five minutes ago." Her eyes glanced quickly over the girl's small form. Taking the chart from the paramedic; Arizona grabbed the handle of the stretcher. Now her day had begun…

"I'll start with her. The rest of you wait here for the rest of the ambulances, and bring the patients into the trauma bay. And you," she brushed a stray hair away from her face and gestured toward the intern she had chosen to be in charge the families. "Get ready to start notifying families and helping with identification," Arizona yelled over her shoulder as she followed the stretcher into the ER.

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Toward the end of the day all Arizona wanted to do was curl up in an on-call room and cry herself to sleep. Patients had been flooding into the ER all day long. Nine children had been brought in and three had died under Arizona's scalpel. Three children who wouldn't get the chance to see their tenth birthdays had died in Arizona's OR and she was exhausted.

Arizona was terrified that the next ambulance would bring another child, and she would have to call time of death on another little human being who hadn't even gotten a chance to say goodbye to their family, to hug their parents one last time or wave to their friends. They wouldn't get to play on the playground again or swing on the monkey bars and Arizona hated taking that away from them. At least she felt she was taking it away from them when their heartbeats stopped or they ran out of air under her scalpel. She was supposed to heal, she wanted to heal but on days like this she couldn't help feeling like she was doing more harm than good.

In a rare moment of peace, Arizona waited at the door of the lobby trying to check on the intern in charge of the lost families. She fought to keep tears from pooling in her eyes as she was emotionally crushed by what she saw. Hundreds of people, were crying and searching out their lost family members as they desperately clutched at photos or frantically asked anybody close to them if they knew where their lost person was. Groups of people crowded around the bulletin board which was littered with hundred of Polaroid's.

Her bewildered intern stood at the front of the room addressing the entire group of people. "Okay!" He called hoarsely, looking slightly overwhelmed by his task. "Here is a list of identified patients that are at Mercy West, Seattle Presbyterian and here at Seattle Grace. On the board are Polaroid's of the unidentified patients that are here at Seattle Grace, and also… the…t-the deceased. In about an hour Polaroid's of unidentified patients at other hospitals will arrive. I'll be back with more information as surgeries finish." He paled as hundreds of voices started calling out questions at the end of his brief speech. His frantic gaze found Arizona who was still standing at the door and his pleading face roused her sympathy.

Reluctantly Arizona stepped foreword, her heart breaking at all of the desperate faces staring up at her. "That is all the information we have right now. If your missing person… Your family, friend or loved one is not on either the board or the list wait for the Polaroid's to come in from the other hospitals. Once all the information is in we can answer your questions… Just please… I'm so sorry, but we can't do anything else right now we have patients to get to."

The people didn't seem to hear her. As soon as she finished speaking hundreds of question flooded from the group of people. "I'm sorry…" Arizona mumbled as she pulled her intern aside. "Look, you have one of the hardest jobs. These people are lost and they are scared because they think some of their family members are dead. And the worst part is…the horrible, awful part is, some of them actually are and some of them will be. I know it's hard; it's overwhelming, but just try to be there for them. Give them information if you have it, and try to help them if you can. Okay?" The intern nodded, looking slightly calmer. As he walked away, looking marginally more confidant Arizona called after him. "I'm sorry but what's your name?"

"Dr. Mostow… It's my third day as an intern. The third day…"

"Well Dr. Mostow, welcome to the program. You're doing a great job, just hang in there…" She flashed him a small smile and turned away, walking down the hall. Before she got five feet out of the lobby her pager went off loudly at her hip. Running down the hall, Arizona mashed her hair into a messy bun and met Dr. Hunt in the trauma bay.

"Dr. Hunt, what do you have for me?" She felt slightly calmer now that the experienced trauma surgeon had returned from the scene. Now she would have some help organizing everything.

"Dr. Robbins, a five year old girl with severe burns to the legs and neck. I'm going to go work my way through most of the trauma patients, you're good here?" Arizona nodded and moved to stand next to the bed. Gazing down at the little girl lying in the bed she checked the monitors quickly.

"Hey, how are you doing? You're at Seattle Grace Hospital, I'm going to take good care of you okay?" The small figure in the bed moved slightly turning her face toward Arizona. The blonde sucked in a breath, staring down at the little girl in shock. Those eyes, those dark, painfully familiar brown eyes. Callie's beautiful eyes, this little girl had Callie's eyes. Arizona's gaze moved over her face, noticing many smaller similarities between this little girl and her absent girlfriend.

"Dr. Robbins?" The nurse who was working with this little girl looked at Arizona questioningly. Apparently Arizona had been staring for quite a while.

Leaning down next to the little girl's bed Arizona placed a comforting hand on her arm. "Before we get started, can you tell me your name?"

"Ana," she coughed. "Ana Torres…" Arizona gasped quietly and the nurse continued to stare at her, with confusion written across her face.

"Torres, like Calliope Torres?" The small girl's eyes widened, but she winced in pain.

"She's my aunt," she answered softly. "My aunt…" Ana said before sighing quietly and closing her eyes. Arizona's medical instinct took over and she carefully dressed Ana's burns. She tried to keep her hands from shaking but horrible, terrifying thoughts were forming in her mind. Was Calliope in the hotel during the fire? Was she visiting with her family this morning and does that mean she's at the hotel?

Turning to the nurse distractedly, Arizona paused. "Take her down for a CT to check for lung damage and internal bleeding. If it's just the burns she isn't in need of urgent care so she can be moved out of the trauma bay, but because of the fire and the building collapses I want to check for internal bleeding." The nurse nodded and started wheeling Ana off down the hall. "Page me when you have the scans please." Arizona called after her.

Dashing down to the lobby Arizona tried to collect herself. _It's just a coincidence, it has to be. Maybe Calliope didn't know her family was in town. I'm sure she would have told me… What if that's where she was this morning? In the hotel, did she get out in time? _Entering the lobby at a run Arizona stopped at the huge mob of people that filled the small space. At the sight of a different doctor they all began crowding her shoving pictures into her face and asking desperate questions.

"Please, just wait! Give me space for just a moment, I'll be here to answer your questions just after I check something!" Threading her way through the crowd Arizona stopped in front of the huge bulletin board. Refusing to look at the side of the board that held the pictures of the deceased she anxiously scanned the Polaroid's, looking for Calliope's familiar face but praying that she wouldn't see it. She saw hundreds of faces, but none that resembled her girlfriend. Numbly Arizona shifted over in front of the next board, tears threatening to spill over onto her cheeks. She couldn't bring herself to look up at the board holding the faces of the dead…

_I'm being ridiculous, Calliope's fine. Her appointment ran long, or whatever it was… _Arizona tried to convince herself, but she couldn't. Fearfully Arizona raised her blue eyes to the board looking over the pictures quickly. She was relieved to find that none of photos resembled her Calliope.

Turning to Dr. Mostow, Arizona grabbed the sleeve of his jacket. "This is all the Polaroid's? From all of the hospitals?"

"N-No… The one's from Mercy West haven't arrived yet. Dr. Robbins is something wrong?" Arizona shook her head, scanning the lists of identified victims she found that there were no more victims with the name Torres listed. She couldn't check the photos for Ana's mother because she had no idea what Calliope's sister looked like.

"No, nothing's wrong," she muttered, defeated. "Keep informing the families" she finished before dashing out of the lobby, fending off terrified families. Leaning against the wall of the hallway Arizona gasped for breath, trying to contain the desperation and worry filling her chest.

Pulling out her cell phone, Arizona dialed Calliope's familiar number rapidly and held the phone up to her ear. "C'mon, pick up, pick up, pick up!" But as she waited Callie's answering machine started playing.

"Calliope," Arizona's voice broke. "I don't know where you are right now. There's been a huge disaster at the hospital and traumas are flooding in. Maybe I've missed you in the chaos or maybe you are helping out at the scene, I don't know… Just please, please call me. Let me know that you're okay, and your niece is here, Ana. I don't know if your sister and her husband were in the hotel, but it looks like Ana is going to be fine. It's just I don't know what to do, I don't know where you are so please call me back… I'm freaking out without you here." Sinking down into a crouch against the wall Arizona rested her head in her hands. The tears she had contained all day long slowly dripped down her cheeks and a long shuddering sigh left her lips as she felt all of her pent up anxiety flood out of her.

Her Calliope was missing, disappeared, and in her chest Arizona could feel dread clawing its way through her. Her girlfriend's five year old niece was hurt in the hospital, and that probably meant that Calliope's sister was somewhere, injured. But she had never met her girlfriend's sister so she had no idea what she looked like. Everything was crashing down around her, and she felt like she was drowning. Her fingers trembled as she clutched her arms around herself. In her mind Arizona saw Callie, broken and lying among the wreckage of the hotel, she couldn't breathe as that image flashed through her mind. And what about Calliope's little niece, Ana? Where was her mother, where was Calliope's sister? Where was Calliope?

Soon, sirens signaled the arrival of yet another ambulance and Arizona knew she didn't have time to break down right now. Brushing the tears off of her cheeks, Arizona took a slow, deep breath and headed back toward the ER. To get through the next few hours she needed to believe that Calliope was okay, that she had taken the day off or she was working at the scene and hadn't returned to the hospital yet. Yes, Arizona needed to think Calliope was okay so she could function. Because if she wasn't...

As she was walking past the lobby Arizona felt a small tug on her arm. Looking down hurriedly she sucked in a sharp breath when she saw that a young boy, his entire left side covered in blood, tugging on her sleeve. "Oh my gosh, are you hurt? Are you missing someone?" Arizona knelt down next to the little boy and glanced over him worriedly.

"My… m-mom, I c-can't find her anywhere," he stuttered.

"Okay…" Arizona said softly, relieved that the boy seemed to be un-injured. "Well, can you tell me your name?"

"Josh, m-my name is Josh Freedman… My mom was in the hotel eating breakfast, I was playing outside on the lawn… Now she's gone." Arizona stood up and grasped the boy's hand lightly.

"Let's go in here and I can try to find your mom. I might have to show you some pictures and you just tell me if any look like your mom. Okay?" Josh nodded and followed Arizona into the crowded lobby.

People were rushing everywhere, some were crying and hugging each other, others were clutching photographs looking completely lost and all of them looked extremely scared. The room was complete chaos as Arizona led Josh into the center of the commotion.

"Excuse me! Excuse me, does anyone know a boy named Josh Freedman?" Her voice was lost among the cries and scared babble of voices. "Josh Freedman?" Arizona yelled again but no one came rushing foreword to claim the little boy. Arizona's heart sank, and she turned to Josh. "I'm going to have to show you some pictures, just tell me if one of them is your mom. I know it's hard but if you help me I can help you find your mom." She forced a smile over her frantic expression and led Josh over to the bulletin board.

"Okay Josh look up here at these photos, do any of them look like your mom?" Josh focused intently on the board and smiled slightly as he pointed to one photo.

"That's her, the second one from the end… Where is she?" Arizona glanced up at the board and reached up to grab the photo that the little boy was pointing to. Her fingers trailed along the surface of the glossy Polaroid's as she counted down the row to the picture. Suddenly she stopped, her finger halting above one picture.

No. Ripping the photo off the wall Arizona brought it close to her face peering intently at the picture. Those lips, that dark wavy hair, even with her eyes closed in a fuzzy Polaroid picture Arizona could tell it was Calliope. Her Calliope… She felt like she couldn't breathe, like her world had been torn out from under her. Flipping the picture over desperately, she saw that scrawled across the back it read, 'Mercy West.' Kneeling down Arizona grasped Josh's shoulders as she failed miserably to fight back tears.

"I have to go… But Dr. Mostow is going to stay with you. You just hold this picture," Arizona grabbed the picture that Josh had pointed to of his mother, "and the doctor will help you find her."

"Dr. Mostow, keep this boy with you, he has a picture of his mother, his last name is Freedman and I have to go right now… So… Stay with him." Dr. Mostow nodded, taking the boy's hand.

"Okay Dr. Robbins, is something wrong?" Attempting to wipe the tears off of her cheeks, Arizona held back a sob as she clutched the photo.

"Just stay with the boy…" Arizona choked as she ran out of the lobby.

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**A/N: So... Want to read more? :D Comments/Reviews/Suggestions are loved. The next chapter for 'Quarantined' is finished and will be up in the next couple of days :)**


	2. Broken Bones

A/N: Okay first off HUGE thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorite or even just read the first chapter. I seriously never expected to get that many reviews and I loved reading them so a SUPER HUGE thanks...

I'm really sorry this took so long, and it's kind of short... I had planned to get this up on friday but my holiday break is almost over so things are starting to get hectic. :)

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Arizona clutched at the Polaroid, her fingers digging into the plastic, brushing lightly across its smooth surface. She felt like she couldn't breathe, like the air had been sucked right out of her lungs. Her girlfriend's face, her Calliope's face was captured in the photograph, but to Arizona, it didn't resemble Calliope. Callie's face was expressive; it usually held a huge smile, a small smirk or a sidelong glance coupled with a mischievous glint in her brown eyes. Even when she was asleep, Arizona could usually tell what kind of dream Calliope was having by the look on her face. Now, in the Polaroid, all of that had been erased from Callie's face and that sent a pang of fear through Arizona's chest.

So she ran. Arizona dashed down the hall, passing patient rooms at a sprint. As she approached the nurse's desk in the ER, she hurriedly wiped the tears from her cheeks and attempted to hold in the rest that were pooling in her eyes. Reaching the desk, Arizona turned to an exasperated looking nurse who was manning the desk during all of the confusion.

"Dr. Robbins…" The nurse looked at her with surprise, "is there something you needed?"

"N-no." Arizona paused and closed her eyes, trying to steady her voice. When she opened her eyes the nurse was looking at her with concern. "I need to go over to Mercy West, can you please let Dr. Hunt know that I won't be able to assist with more trauma for a while?" Arizona's voice still came out shaky and the nurse's eyes widened as she glanced around the chaotic ER in disbelief.

"Are you sure Dr. Robbins? I mean-"

"I'm sorry… Really sorry, but it's an emergency," Arizona paused. "I realize that there is an emergency at the hospital right now, but I have to go. Just… I'm so sorry." As the tears threatened to spill down her cheeks Arizona looked at the nurse desperately, trying to convey with just a glance how much this was costing her.

Something in her eyes must have had an impact because the nurse nodded worriedly and reached to phone Dr. Hunt.

"Thank you," Arizona murmured as she turned away from the desk. The ER echoed with agonized screams and fervent cries but Arizona couldn't focus on that right now. The only thing on her mind was Calliope who was at Mercy West, all alone and probably being called 'Jane Doe.' Panic swept through her as she imagined the possibility that her girlfriend was injured. Third degree burns and crush injuries surrounded her, so what condition was Calliope in? At least Arizona knew she was alive, when the Polaroid was taken her Calliope had been alive.

Arizona made her way toward the front entrance of Seattle Grace. Dodging stretchers and incoming traumas, she tried to avoid looking down at the stricken victims. As she rounded the last corner at a sprint she crashed into a familiar figure.

"Wow Blondie, what's the rush?" Mark steadied Arizona and looked down at her questioningly.

"I need to go Mark, just let me go!" Her voice came out uncharacteristically rough and commanding but Mark just laughed, his blue eyes holding a mischievous glint.

"Ahhh, wow… You going to meet Torres in an on-call room? You surprise me sometimes Blondie," he said appreciatively. An agonized sigh escaped Arizona's lips; she really wished that was where she was going. Reaching into her coat pocket she retrieved the Polaroid and shoved it into Mark's hands.

He stiffened and his hand dropped from Arizona's shoulder. "T-That's not… Callie?" Mark brought the photo close to his face, peering at it intently before flipping it over and reading the words scrawled on the back.

"That's where you're going, Mercy West?" He asked quietly. His voice had lost it's jovial, teasing tone and his expression had turned deathly serious. Arizona just nodded, not trusting herself with the ability to form words. "Go. Bring her back here, okay? And call me when you find out how she is… She's Callie… She'll pull through this." Numbly he handed the photo back to Arizona and gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze.

"I'll bring her here…" Arizona murmured, looking up at Mark. He was her girlfriend's best friend, her work husband and her partner in crime on most days. Arizona leaned against his shoulder for an instant, letting him know that she shared his pain and trying to find some strength to function, to think coherently through this catastrophe. Normally she and Callie made fun of Mark, calling him a manwhore and poking fun at how sex was his answer to everything. But he had been there for Callie when Arizona hadn't. He had been there for through the mess that George and Erica had created, so Arizona figured that out of everyone in this hospital he might understand how much this was hurting her. Straightening up, Arizona turned to Mark who nodded to her.

"I have to go, as soon as I know anything I'll call you." Her fingers shook as she jammed the photo back into her pocket. Arizona turned and quickly made her way to the front entrance of the hospital.

A cold wind swirled around Arizona as she left the hospital and dark clouds piled ominously on the horizon. It was almost cruel, the one cloudless day Seattle had enjoyed in a while was marred by a huge fire. Then _after _the fire it starts to rain again. The blonde was convinced that if there was a higher power; Seattle was just one mistaken cosmic joke. But today she didn't care, as before in the ER nothing else besides Calliope occupied her mind right now.

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The doors slid open as Arizona ran up to the front entrance to Mercy West. Interns in orange scrubs dashed through the ER, clutching at blood bags, syringes and trays of gauze. The general hectic air that she had escaped from in Seattle Grace pervaded the Mercy West ER. Arizona ignored her instincts that were pushing her to help the patients that surrounded her and focused her attention on finding someone who might know where to find Calliope

Her fingers grazed the edge of the Polaroid that was still resting in her pocket and Arizona tightened her hand around it. Pulling it out, Arizona approached the nurse's desk and tacitly held out the Polaroid to the nurse working the desk. She looked up questioningly and gently took the photo.

"She's here?" The nurse asked, looking at Arizona sadly. For the entire day the nurse had been taking Polaroid's of the deceased, the dying and the hurting and then distributing them to families. But she was lucky, because sometimes after all of that she got to reunite people. The blonde before her nodded and seemed to straighten up slightly, finding her voice.

"Yeah, she's a doctor at Seattle Grace, where I work. And she's…" Arizona's voice trailed off. "Just, please tell me she's okay." The nurse nodded and clicked a few buttons on her computer.

"Thirty-two year old female, Hispanic complexion, that's her?" Arizona's eyes widened and she nodded eagerly.

"That's her, is she okay?" The nurse scanned the screen once more before shuffling files as Arizona watched her desperately.

"Come with me, she's in room forty four." The nurse led Arizona down the hall to the fourth room on the fourth floor. "Here she is…"

Arizona gasped, her fingers tracing across the glass of the wall. It was really her. She slowly grasped the doorknob and let herself into the room as quietly as possible. Tears dripped slowly onto her cheeks and she picked up Callie's chart, flipping through to the most recent entry. Arizona scanned the chart, becoming more and more devastated as she read on.

Severe smoke inhalation, that was to be expected seeing as her girlfriend had survived a fire but it was the next part that sent fear clawing through her chest. Apparently part of the ceiling had fallen onto one of Callie's legs, and from the doctors rushed assessment it looked as if Callie might not walk again. Stifling a sob, Arizona moved to the chair next to Callie's bedside.

"Hey," Arizona murmured, clutching Callie's hand, which lay motionless on the bed. "I'm here, Calliope…" Tears dripped onto their intertwined fingers as Arizona reached up and touched Callie's cheek. "It's all going to be okay, I'm here and I'll take you back to Seattle Grace… We'll get through this, I promise." That was all Arizona could manage before sobs overwhelmed her body. She lay her head down on the bead, nestling it against Callie's motionless body and cried...

* * *

"_Arizona I promise I'll tell you later, but I really have to go now." Callie smiled and leaned down to capture Arizona's lips once more before she groaned and leaned away. "I really have to go now…"_

"_Where is this mystery appointment?" Arizona asked as she pouted. She knew Callie couldn't resist it when she did that. Apparently she was right as Callie tangled her fingers in Arizona's blonde curls and pulled the now smiling Arizona in for another kiss._

"_Still leaving Ari, nice try…" Arizona scowled dejectedly and rolled over in bed, burying her head among the pillows. _

"_Stupid appointment, ruining my morning off along with my girlfriend." Callie smirked at Arizona's ranting as she slung her purse over her shoulder. _

"_I'll meet you in our On-Call before lunch okay? I promise I'll tell you everything then." Rolling out of bed, Arizona hit the floor with a muffled thud before groaning. Callie leaned down while giggling to help her sleepy girlfriend off the floor. "Try to get some sleep, I'll see you at noon…" She kissed Arizona cheek lightly as she left the bedroom. Laughing slightly, Callie heard Arizona stumbling around in the bedroom cursing 'mystery appointments.'_

_

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_

"_Auntie Callie!" As Callie knocked on the hotel room door she was greeted by her niece's smiling face and an excited squeal. Ana pulled Callie into a tight bear hug and Callie made her way into the room with difficulty. "Mama! Callie's here!"_

_Callie looked up to see her sister Aria standing stiffly in the corner of the room. "Hey Callie," she mumbled quietly._

"_Wow," Callie muttered under her breath,"you seem happy to see me Aria..." She had been expecting a welcome like this, but she was surprised by how much it hurt her._

"_Ana, go watch TV in the bedroom for a bit, Auntie Callie and I need to talk…" Ana looked between her mother and her aunt nervously before nodding slightly and darting off into the bedroom. Aria turned her attention back to Callie, her arms now crossed tightly across her chest. _

"_Did Dad send you out here?" Callie asked stiffly her pain evident in her voice. This was her sister, her sister who was standing in front of her staring at her as if she was some horrible disgrace. _

"_Yeah, you need to come back to Miami Callie, obviously something here screwed you up big time." Her sister looked at her quizzically but Callie was already turning away from her. _

"_I don't have time for this, I had the morning off! For the first time in three weeks Arizona and I have had the same morning off so we could spend some time together. But no! Instead I come here, and hell if I know why!" Callie was all prepared to storm off angrily but her sister's voice stopped her._

"_What about Ana? She was asking why you didn't visit this summer like you always do. What do you want me to tell her?"_

"_Aria, you could just tell her the truth. Tell her that I'm in love with a woman named Arizona Robbins; tell her that we can come visit next summer if this stupid fight is over. But Aria, I know you won't tell her that, so just make up some stupid lie to make yourself feel better…"_

"_Callie I-" Aria started to retort angrily but screeching sirens echoed through the hotel, cutting off her defense. _

"_Mama!" Ana ran out of the bedroom looking around fearfully. "What's going on?"_

"_It's probably just a mistake with the building's electricity or something, but honey we should get out of here just in case." She nodded and clutched at Callie's hand. Aria scowled at that gesture but chose to ignore it for now. "Lets just get to the lobby, I don't think we are allowed to use the elevator so we'll have to take the stairs."_

_Callie tightened her grip on Ana's hand and guided the little girl to the door. As Aria pulled it open smoke billowed into the room and panic twisted in Callie's chest. "Definitely not a mistake, quickly lets get to the stairs…" Aria grasped Ana's other hand and the trio fought their way through the thick smoke. _

_Coughing and blindly groping through the haze Callie located the handle on the door to the stairs. Yanking it open she ushered Aria and Ana inside before shutting it behind her and dashing after them. They rushed down the stairs but as they reached the stairwell in the second floor they stopped as the floor began to shake. _

_Callie steadied herself against the railing, gripping Ana's hand tightly. "What was that?" The little girl asked fearfully._

"_I have no idea," murmured Aria as she glanced fearfully up and down the staircase. "Do we keep going?"_

"_I think we should just get out of the hotel, we have no idea where the fire actually is." Callie looked back at Aria and Ana who both nodded. Trying to run as quickly as possible, another tremor shook the building and they burst through the lobby door at a sprint. _

_Lost among the screams and the thick cover of smoke that filled the lobby, Aria, Ana and Callie huddled against the wall. A huge mass of flames was eating away at the far end of the lobby and getting closer every minute. Ana wrapped her arm around Callie's waist as the floor shook again but this time a loud crack echoed through the lobby. Shards of plaster and rubble began to fall from the ceiling._

"_We need to move!" Callie yelled in desperation pulling Ana out of the way as another louder crack echoed around the room. Larger chunks of plaster began to fall before a final crack split the ceiling and huge chunks of the first floor ceiling came crashing down. _

_When Callie's eyes fluttered open smoke and dust clouded her vision. She could feel a horrible pain in her leg as her vision began to tunnel. _

"_Aria!" She yelled fighting against the darkness, wary of the orange glow of flames in the distance. "Ana! Aria! Are you there?" No answer came and Callie struggled to stay awake, but the pain was too much. As the blackness closed in around her a soft murmur left her lips and was lost in the chaos. "Arizona..."_

_

* * *

_

A/N: Please let me know what you think, reviews are loved :)

I have a question for you :) Do you guys prefer shorter chapters that are updated quickly or longer chapters that take maybe three or four days?


	3. it's in Your Hands Now

A/N: Hi, okay… First. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry for taking so long. School was awful this week and I couldn't find any time to write this. I'm going to try to write a lot this weekend so I have things to post for you guys during the week.

A huge thanks to everyone who reviewed, you guys are totally awesome and I loved reading your comments :) The response was mixed as to longer or shorter update so over the next week I'm going to try to update every other day… Yeah, we'll see how that goes, but I'll won't make them too short so don't worry.

Wooow long author's note… Well, not really

-Skones

* * *

Chaos consumed the hospital. Bodies clad in orange scrubs rushed and collided through the halls, each person painfully aware of the commotion surrounding them. Nurses made endless rounds of patients, monitoring stats and cataloguing deaths. Doctors filled the ER waiting by the doors for the next ambulance or hurriedly administering pain medication and assessing injuries. And the surgeons, the confident, hardcore surgeons were doing what they did best. They cut. Except for two of them, the two women in room forty-four of Mercy West were probably the only two surgeons in the Seattle area who weren't occupied cutting open and attempting to save victims of the disaster. Well, one of them was trying desperately to save someone but there was nothing she could do…

* * *

She was alive. Air was rushing steadily in and out of her lungs, her heart was beating vitally in her chest and her temperature was well within the normal range. A healthy 98.6. As a surgeon this was all Arizona normally needed from a patient, as long as she knew they were stable she could walk away feeling triumphant, hopeful that she had given them a future. Of course the blonde would check back, but as soon as they reached this stage she usually counted myself lucky.

But with Calliope, Arizona needed more. To even begin to feel optimistic she needed so much more than from her other patients. She loved her regular patients, she really did. When they died under her scalpel it broke her heart and it usually took copious amount of donuts for Arizona to be able to return to work. But, now it was so far beyond that, it felt like she was broken. Even if she bought every Dunkin' Donuts in Washington State it would make no difference, because the only person who could put Arizona back together was lying in a hospital bed.

She struggled to put words to the emotions coursing through her body. Waves of sadness and worry threatened to drag her under with every passing second that she waited for Calliope. Arizona wanted to leave, to rush back to Seattle Grace and page her girlfriend. Callie would gather the blonde in her arms and pull her out of whatever tragedy was drowning her. The feeling of Callie's arms encircling her, the warmth of the brunette's body pressed against hers was comforting. With Callie, Arizona could swim, splash around or flip over onto her back and just float above the waves, but now she sunk… Because Callie wasn't waiting for her in an on-call room, she wasn't even caught up in some twelve-hour surgery. No, she was here, inches away from Arizona but she didn't feel any better.

She sat scrunched worriedly in the chair by Callie's bedside. Pushing the chair up against the metal posts of the bed frame Arizona had nestled myself against Callie's shoulder as the lower half of her body remained awkwardly in the chair. She kept myself as close to Callie as she could without disturbing her girlfriend's injuries but as the light had begun to fade from the Seattle skyline Arizona's cell phone rang loudly from the floor where she had discarded her purse.

Reluctantly she moved slowly away from the bed and retrieved the purse from the floor. Shuffling through a mess of pencils, discarded lip gloss bottles and an assortment of random items accumulated over the past year, Arizona's fingers brushed the vibrating metal of my cell phone and she pulled it out quickly before glancing at the screen.

'Mark Calling…' Arizona sighed as she guiltily remembered her promise to call him if I found out anything.

"Hey," she mumbled quietly into the receiver.

"Arizona, is she okay? Why didn't you call me, she's going to be okay right?" The blonde ran my fingers through her messy hair as he kept asking questions, questions she would _love _to be able to answer for him.

"Mark I don't… She hasn't woken up yet, it's… It's pretty bad," Arizona heard a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line but she steeled myself as pain washed through her body again. Arizona's eyes found Calliope's face and the blonde watched her intently as she tried to sort out her muddled thoughts.

"Arizona how bad is it, what on earth happened to her? Why was she even in that hotel anyway?" Mark paused for a moment before continuing. "Can you bring her here, get them to transfer her?"

"Part of the ceiling crushed her leg, Mark… She might not walk again, at least not on that leg-"

"Surgery?" He asked tensely, cutting Arizona off.

"It doesn't mention much on the chart, and since the emergency it's been hard for doctors to come check on all of the patients. When they take x-rays I guess we'll know more. I'll talk to the nurse about the transfer…"

"Call me this time Robbins, the second you know something!" Normally Arizona would have laughed, she could practically hear the scowl on his face but right now it didn't even feel like she wasn't capable of laughter. So the blonde merely mumbled a goodbye and flipped the phone shut.

Opening the door slightly Arizona motioned to a nurse who was walking purposefully down the hallway.

"Can I help you with something?" The nurse asked, trying very hard not to let exhaustion or annoyance color her tone.

"Yes, I was wondering If Calliope could be transferred to Seattle Grace?" She gestured at Callie's sleeping form through the glass as the nurse looked at her with confusion.

"You want to transfer her?" Arizona nodded emphatically and the nurse's tone turned indignant. "I'm sorry did we do something wrong?"

"Oh, no" the blonde hastily cut her off. "It's just she's a surgeon at Seattle Grace and her colleges want her transferred to the hospital, she needs to be among her friends…" The nurse still looked slightly miffed but she nodded hesitantly.

"We can arrange that, but it may need to wait for a while until all of the victims of the hotel fire have been brought to hospitals. Are you sure you want her transferred?"

"Yes," Arizona answered firmly. "I don't mean anything against Mercy West but we spend almost every single day working at Seattle Grace. All of her friends are there, the people who know and love her work at that hospital. It's what she would want." She cast a searching glance at the nurse, pleading silently that she wouldn't take part in this bizarre Seattle Grace versus Mercy West rivalry that seemed to exist between the two hospitals.

"Okay, I'll be up to the room in a few hours when we have a free ambulance. You'll need to sign some papers can you come by the nurse's desk in about half an hour? I'll have the forms by then." Relieved, Arizona tried to manage a grateful smile as the nurse walked away but her attempt failed miserably and she was left standing, lost, outside of her girlfriend's hospital room.

* * *

The ambulance arrived at the back entrance to Seattle Grace hospital to an unusual welcoming committee. In the place of scared interns, Bailey, Mark who had his arms around Lexie, Christina and Owen who were tentatively holding hands and even the Chief waited anxiously in front of the glass sliding doors for one of their own dysfunctional 'work family' to be brought in.

"That's it," muttered Christina as the ambulance's siren could be heard echoing through the parking lot. "That has to be it…"

"Oh god…" Lexie murmured, tears beginning to trace rivers down her cheeks. She buried her face against Mark's shoulder whose arms instinctively tightened around her but his gaze was entirely focused on the approaching ambulance.

"Okay people, you know what do to," the Chief moved up to the curb as the ambulance slowed to a stop.

"With all due respect sir, we have absolutely no idea what to do. It's Callie; everyday for the past four years she has been there for me…" Mark said as he looked around at his colleagues who looked equally worried about what the ambulance would bring. "How do I bring my best friend into the ER like it's no different from every other time? All the patients matter, but I can't pretend this is protocol, its Callie!" Mark strode up to the curb next to the Chief quickly as the paramedic opened the doors and began lowering a stretcher.

* * *

"Bailey!" The shorter surgeon blocked Arizona's path, gazing up at the PEDs surgeon with a pitying look on her face.

"Arizona, we have to take her up for some tests now… You have to wait down here," She looked apologetic, which was an expression Arizona wasn't used to seeing on Bailey's face. She didn't like it, when it was directed at her that expression meant that something was _really _wrong.

"I'm a doctor Bailey, I work here at this hospital too! Just let me stay with her, I need to be close to her." She begged, but Bailey just shook her head.

"Arizona, you're not a doctor today." She opened her mouth to protest but Bailey raised a hand to stop her. "Today the woman you love is a patient in this hospital, you are no more a doctor than she is right now. Now, I will page you as soon as I know anything, just wait in the attending's lounge or something." Arizona tried to dodge around her and follow the stretcher disappearing down the hall but Bailey stood firmly in front of Arizona and summoned up her signature glare.

"Don't do this. Please Bailey," but Bailey just shook her head before tentatively resting a comforting hand on Arizona's arm.

"Arizona, this hurts everyone. Most of us here have worked with Callie for years, granted we probably weren't as… ah, close as the two of you are but right now it's our friend in the hospital, not just another patient. Just trust me when I say, the second I know anything I'll tell you, but I need you to be strong for her right now."

"How long?" Arizona asked, and a slightly relieved expression flitted across Bailey's face.

"It could be an hour or two…"

"She'll… Callie will be okay right?" The blonde searched Bailey's face for some hint of her reaction but the shorter surgeon fought to keep herself from showing how uncertain the answer to that question was.

Bailey could see that Arizona was breaking. The PEDs surgeon gazed at her desperately as she waited for an answer, but Bailey's silent response seemed to tell her enough.

"N-no… Bailey, I need her to come back from this. Without her I won't be able to breathe, to function…"

"Arizona, right now she is breathing. Please don't make her breathe for the both of you, she needs you to be strong for her." She smiled sadly, "think of what Callie would do. Arizona, she's probably one of the strongest people I know, so just keep that thought in mind. She won't give up without fighting… she never has before."

Bailey removed her hand from Arizona's arm but the blonde didn't try to dart past her again. Instead she just stood completely still before casting one last terrified look at Bailey.

"I'll be in the locker rooms, the second you know something-"

"Go, Arizona trust me." The blonde nodded numbly and Bailey turned away and headed down the hall.

* * *

Arizona stood in front of her locker tracing absent minded patterns over the pictures she had plastered against one side of the cubby. Calliope grinned at her out of the many photos decorating her locker. In one Calliope had her arms draped snugly across Arizona shoulders and the blonde wore a huge grin across her face.

They were so…alive. The photos were so bright and vital and normally on Arizona's particularly early or late shifts they brightened up her work day. She loved to look at them, remembering the days when the photos had been taken, but now they haunted her. I her current state they reminded her of what she might lose... Arizona remembered the Polaroid from Mercy West that she had jammed quickly into her pocket and she pulled it out. Holding it before her, Arizona pulled one of the pictures off the side of her locker and held them side by side. A resurgence of tears spilled over her eyes and dripped down onto her cheeks a she gazed at Calliope's, smiling, content face in one photo. And in the other, her girlfriend lying broken on a hospital stretcher.

Disgustedly, Arizona replaced the bright photo in her locker and scrutinized the Polaroid once more before sighing. She allowed her fingers to trace over the photograph once more before she began to rip it up.

She didn't feel anything. As the pieces of the Polaroid spiraled down into the trashcan Arizona realized that even watching the reminder of that horrible accident disappear didn't take the pain away.

The locker next to hers was filled with a huge mess of Calliope's things. Shirts, a random book and a warm can of soda littered the bottom of the locker but another set of photographs was plastered across the walls. Arizona felt surrounded, like everywhere there was some reminder of what was happening. Reaching into her own locker Arizona began to tear the photos of the walls scattering them across the floor. She didn't know why but she didn't want to see that joy right now. The smiling faces and bright gleeful expressions stabbed through her, almost mocking her. As if trying to remind her, of what was slowly slipping away from her, entirely out of her control.

Now Callie's grinning face looked up at her from the mess of photos strewn across the floor. Tears continued to drip down her cheeks and Arizona slumped dejectedly against the wall of the locker room. Directly behind her was Calliope's locker and even as Arizona shut her eyes to try to block out the reminders surrounding her she found herself turning to face the locker.

Opening her eyes slowly, Arizona let an exhausted, tortured sigh escape her lips as she reached out a hand and ran her fingers along the fabric of one of Callie's shirts. Grasping a sleeve, Arizona pulled the shirt to her and hugged it to her chest, burying her nose in the fabric. It was comforting. The shirt smelled like Calliope and for a second it felt like she was falling asleep nestled against Callie's chest. As she clutched the shirt tightly Arizona let her tears soak the familiar shirt. As she waited, keeping her eyes tightly shut against the wave of memories waiting for her in the photographs, Arizona slowly pulled herself up. Again she opened her eyes, and slowly reached out and began to gather up the photos. Bailey's words reverberated in her head, 'she's one of the strongest women I know...' Clinging to that thought Arizona gathered up the photos into a stack and let her eyes slowly travel over the first picture. Callie had to to fight this, but so did Arizona...

She had to trust. Arizona had to trust that Bailey, Owen, Mark and even Lexie wouldn't let Callie stop fighting. As they were desperately trying to save Callie, these doctors held Arizona's life in their hands as well. If Callie slipped away a huge part of Arizona would disappear also and she couldn't go on living without that piece. Her heart was part of that piece.

So, Arizona relived the happy moments. Flipping through the photos in her hands she let memories flood her brain, allowing all of the joy and love she had experienced in the past year and a half with Callie wash away all of her doubt. She waited for the news that would make or break her. Give her hope or rip her world out from under her. The news that would keep her heart safe or shatter it.

This time Callie was fighting, and she had to survive this fight without Arizona by her side. So the blonde waited, tears streaming down her face as she lost herself in every moment of the past year she spent with Calliope. She had to treasure these memories now, she didn't know if she would get any more.

* * *

A/N: Writing sad, depressed Arizona was hard and I hope it wasn't too cheesy because on the show she is rarely sad or depressed. Tell me what you think, reviews are loved :)

I'm writing the next chapter for quarantined but I sending it to my beta so it might not be up right away :D

Thanks


	4. Explain It All To Me

**A/N: Once again all the usual excuses for my lack of updates, but basically real life got in the way...**

**Anyway, thanks for sticking with this story, I have a bit of a break this week so I can probably get another update up by Monday. But knowing me, this probably won't happen.**

**Huge, super, awesome, mega thanks for everyone who reviewed/favorited/read last chapter. Thanks for taking the time to do that :)**

**A note on the timeline. Sorry if it hasn't been that clear but here it is. The accident happened around noon "yesterday" and now it's the day after. **

* * *

**Pictures of You**

**Chapter Four**

Three hours. Arizona had been waiting anxiously in the attendings locker room for three long, agonizing, terrifying hours. And she still had no answers. No answers to the thousands questions whirling around in her head.

Bailey knocked softly on the doorframe, starling Arizona out of her position slumped on the floor. The resident looked curiously around the room at the scattered pictures of the couple littering the floor but she decided to say nothing as Arizona looked desperately up at her.

"How is she?" Arizona choked out as she hastily shoved the pictures back into her locker. Bailey looked pityingly down at the blonde surgeon and saw the worry clouding her normally clear blue eyes.

"She woke up," Bailey answered quietly, knowing exactly what Arizona wanted to hear. Arizona's eyes brightened but she frowned as she took in Bailey's expression.

"That's good right?" When Bailey still didn't continue Arizona felt fear clench around her heart. "Bailey c'mon, what happened?"

"Arizona…" Bailey paused but as the blonde opened her mouth to urge her to keep talking, she continued. "Her leg, the right leg… She might not walk again. There is extensive nerve damage not to mention the bone is fractured in more than three places." Arizona sucked in a sharp breath.

Ignoring the rest of Bailey's list of Callie's injuries Arizona made to leave the room, and go see her girlfriend. "Which room is she in?" She asked hurriedly, but Bailey held up her hand.

"There's more you should know… Her niece is in the hospital, she was also in the fire but she only sustained minor injuries."

Arizona nodded impatiently, "I know, I treated her. I sent her up for scans but I had to go to Mercy West to find Calliope. Was there something in her scans?"

"No, her scans came back clear and Dr. Sloan went and treated her burns-"

"Bailey, if there's nothing wrong-" Arizona cut her off angrily; she didn't see the point to all of this useless information. Sure, it was super that Callie's niece was okay but if there was nothing Arizona could do to help the child…

"There is something else." Bailey said firmly and Arizona could hear a hint of nervousness in her tone. "Arizona, Callie's sister was in that fire, her wallet was on her so she was indentified."

Arizona's eyes widened, "which hospital did she get taken to?"

"That's the thing Arizona… She's here." Bailey wouldn't meet Arizona's eyes and the blonde again felt the same sense of mounting dread.

"Where is she?" Arizona asked cautiously.

"The morgue. Arizona she's in the morgue…"

"No… How is she supposed to get through this? I mean it's her sister…" Arizona should hate Aria. The blonde had never crossed paths with her girlfriend's sister, but from what Callie told her Aria hadn't been to happy with Callie's lifestyle choice. But Arizona wouldn't have wished this, not on anyone. "Does Callie know?"

"I thought it should be you. You know to tell her? I know it's a lot for her to take right now but with news like this…"

"I can't do that to her! I won't," Arizona stammered indignantly as fear flashed in her eyes. "Calliope doesn't need to hear this right now. She's broken we need to fix her not tear her apart."

"She needs to know, who do think she would like to hear the news from? You, the woman she loves. Or me, her annoying chief resident?" Bailey eyed Arizona as she struggled her Bailey's question.

"I c-can't do that to her Bailey…"

"Arizona, I know it's horrible and as doctors we all hate this part of our jobs. But think of how it is for Callie. She shouldn't have to face this right now. She was caught in a huge disaster and she needs you, most of all right now. Are you just going to let her go through this alone?"

"No, of course not… But I"

"You sure you won't?" She eyed Arizona doubtfully and turned to leave when Arizona didn't respond.

Arizona let out a ragged sigh. She didn't want to hurt Callie, to be the one who gave her the news that would make her world fall apart around her. Arizona ached whenever her Calliope was in pain, right now she just wanted to be by her side. But in the long run, would it hurt Calliope more for her to let her be alone through this?

"Wait," Arizona reached out a touched Bailey arm. "Just show me her room, okay?"

* * *

In less than twenty-four hours Callie's world had been turned upside down, shaken and dumped out all jumbled up. All in the course of one, innocent, perfectly sunny day.

She wanted to see Arizona, she wanted to know why she couldn't move her right leg, she wanted to know where her niece and sister were and mostly she wanted someone to sit down and explain things to her.

What happened? The details were blurry in her mind. Callie remembered kissing Arizona goodbye and going to see Aria in the hotel. The arguing was ingrained angrily into her memory and she doubted she would forget it any time soon, but after that all she remembered were flames. Bright, orange flames flickering in and out of her vision.

Callie twisted her head groggily as she heard people enter her hospital room. Her vision was hazy at best and she felt as if she had recently awoken from an extremely long nap.

"Hey," a familiar voice sounded in her ears and Arizona's hazy figure came closer to her bedside.

"Arizona," Callie murmured contentedly and the voices and faces slowly came back into focus. Arizona's fingers gently traced circles on Callie's hand and Callie felt her girlfriend's lips placing worried kisses across her palm.

"How are you feeling?" Arizona asked quietly.

"Numb," she mumbled in response causing Arizona to giggle nervously.

"Yeah, you're on _a lot_ of pain medication…" She gazed tenderly down at Callie's drowsy expression.

Her girlfriend's eyes were open and Callie was wearing a faint version of Arizona's favorite crooked smile. The blonde should have been relieved, but the relief she felt was fleeting, tainted. She would have to ruin it.

Arizona didn't want to take it all away from her. When her brother died it had taken her months to even mention his name without breaking down. A death leaves a hole, a scar where the person used to be and it takes years for it to scab over. So, when you mention their name it doesn't make you ache inside. If anyone ever really gets that far…

For Arizona, it always ached.

She couldn't do that. She couldn't be the bearer of bad news for the woman she loved. Arizona felt like she would somehow be the cause of Callie's pain when all she wanted to do was take it away.

"I was worried about you," the blonde admitted softly as she tenderly brushed her hand along Callie's cheek. "I couldn't find you yesterday, it was horrible. I was surrounded by all of these dying, desperate people and all I could thing about was finding you…"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you where I was going that morning," Calliope mumbled faintly, tightening her grip on her girlfriend's hand. "I wasn't sure why they… My family were here but I wanted to make sure they weren't here to break us up or something…"

"Don't apologize, I'm just super glad you're okay."

"What about Ana, Aria? My niece and sister they were at the hotel with me," Callie clarified, expecting Arizona to have no idea who she was talking about.

Arizona gulped and struggled to hold back the onslaught of tears she felt building in her chest.

She couldn't. She didn't want this for Callie…

"Ana is going to be fine I treated her… She's here in Seattle Grace." A small, relieved smile tugged at Callie's lips.

"She's going to be okay?" At Arizona's nod Callie continued. "What about Aria?"

She opened her mouth trying to force the words out but she couldn't. "Calliope…" Arizona twisted her head and looked at Bailey who eyed her sadly before leaving the room. "She was here…"

When Calliope hurt, Arizona hurt. When Callie cried, Arizona held her girlfriend until the tears ceased. They were there for each other, always willing to sacrifice anything for the other in a time of need. But Arizona could never be the one who made Callie feel that way, could she?

"Did you make sure Aria knew Ana was okay? She'll freak out otherwise." The brunette tried to laugh but ended up coughing instead. Arizona stroked her cheek gently; tears spilling onto her cheeks at she tried to form the words she knew she had to say.

"What's wrong Ari?" Callie looked confused and tried to edge closer to her girlfriend. "Everything's okay right?"

Arizona forced the words out. They felt horrible forming on her tongue but the longer she waited the worse it would be.

"Calliope, she didn't make it… More of the ceiling fell and the fire reached her before the firemen could get to her…" Callie's eyes opened wide in horrified disbelief.

News like this made people disappear. Tragedy made them withdraw into themselves, sometimes for years. Arizona felt like she had just gotten Calliope back, she was painfully aware of how close she had come to losing the love of her life. If anything, Aria's death confirmed what a close call it was…

"You don't… But she was next to me, we were close together how could she have been hurt so badly? Arizona you have to have the wrong person!" She ripped her hand out of Arizona's grasp. "It's not true…"

"You were lucky," Arizona stuttered out. "She had her wallet with her. I'm sorry, so sorry…"

"Lucky?" Callie practically spat and a pained expression settled on Arizona's face as the blonde flinched.

"Calliope," Arizona pleaded, knowing her words had been misunderstood. She, Arizona was the lucky one. She got to have Calliope, but what about Ana, the rest of Callie's family? "You know that's not what I meant. It hurts I know but I would never-"

"Get out!"

Despite her words, Callie wanted Arizona's arms around her. She wanted to feel safe and protected.

She didn't want to feel this lost.

* * *

_Aria. The girl she had grown up with, hated, loved, antagonized, comforted and grown slowly apart from. As younger children Callie had idolized her big sister, following closely in her footsteps and copying everything she did until she was a teenager. _

_What did she last say to her? What were her last words Callie had spoken to her only sister? They were arguing, but Callie couldn't remember the exact words. In any case she was sure they had been the wrong ones. Even though her sister had cut her out of her life, she hadn't wanted her sister to die. There were so many things Callie had wanted to say._

_Callie childishly wanted to tell her sister all the things she had secretly hid from her over the year. The silly little things she had been meaning to tell her but not really ever going through with it. The things she thought they would one day laugh about…. How when she was seventeen, Callie had made out with Aria's boyfriend when they came home from college to visit. The first time Aria had gotten a cell phone Callie had sent an embarrassing text to all of the numbers on her sister's contact list. Aria had blamed one of the girls at school because Callie innocently told her she had no idea what she was talking about. She had been planning to admit that the dent on Aria's first car had been from Callie stealing her keys and using her sister's car to get to a party where some stupid student driver had rear-ended her. _

_Stupid sister stuff, but suddenly it meant more. The tiny meaningless moments that they were supposed to laugh about when they got older were all just memories now, who was she supposed to share them with?

* * *

_

The way Callie was looking at her, like Arizona had betrayed her or hurt her in some irrevocable way. It was exactly what the blonde had been afraid would happen.

"Callie… I'm sorry, so sorry I know what it's like but-"

"I can't do this right now," Callie squeezed her eyes shut as if trying to erase the last few hours. Arizona tentatively pulled Callie into a hug but the brunette shifted away from her and Arizona quickly let go, giving Callie her space.

"I mean I can't do this Arizona…" The blonde nodded numbly and retreated to her chair. She could see a thousand emotions flickering across Callie's face waiting to explode out of her. Arizona could see Callie trying to contain it and force herself to block out the pain the way she dealt with most problems.

Callie felt weak, vulnerable. She was so unsure of what was happening and lying in this hospital bed she didn't feel like her usual in-control self.

"Okay Calliope…" Arizona waited nervously for Calliope to elaborate but the brunette just lay there and twisted the comforter in her fingers, as she appeared deep in thought.

"It's too much. Right now everything's too much."

"You don't have to tell me about anythi-"

"She was my sister, it was Aria…" Callie murmured and Arizona could see she was trying to convince herself of the reality rather than inviting more conversation.

Arizona could see her guard crumbling she knew Callie well enough to see the mask she wore during stressful times beginning to crack.

"How?"

"What? I'm sorry but-"

"How did she die, what killed her? Was it the fire or the ceiling…"

Arizona reluctantly answered. She didn't understand the odd, cold tone permeating Calliope's voice. "The official cause of death was extensive crush injuries and smoke inhalation," she responded studying Callie closely but her girlfriend seemed to be in an entirely different place.

"Smoke inhalation?" Arizona nodded. "But I was right next to her, why not me? Why aren't I down in the morgue right now? I'm sure I _inhaled_ just as much as she did, so why am I okay?" Callie shut her eyes slightly, keeping her tone cold and detached. Or she tried to; Arizona could hear the tremor lurking beneath the surface.

"Calliope…" Arizona's mouth fell open slightly as she considered Callie's questions. How was this even going through her mind right now?

"Why am I still here?" Her voice finally broke and Callie crumbled. "The last words I said to her were angry, spiteful. At the time I meant them but now they seem all wrong. That was my sister, she shouldn't have left the world with my selfish words echoing in her mind…"

"Calliope, you didn't know-"

Her voice was louder now, desperate, begging, pleading for answers that Arizona didn't have. "Somebody just needs to explain it all to me. I can't… I can't understand any of this. I was passed out for what, like five hours maybe? When did all of this happen to us? Why can't I move my leg, will I even ever be able to regain movement? Am I just going to waste away in this bed without the ability to walk or do anything for myself? What about Ana who is she supposed to live with now, my parents?.... Where's my sister… Where's Aria? I miss her already. It hurts too much to even remember her face. It's shouldn't hurt this much, I mean for the last couple of months I hated her."

"Cal-" Tears dripped down Arizona's cheeks as Callie continued. Her girlfriend's pain and confusion ripped through her body with every word Callie spoke.

"But she's not in Miami anymore, I can't just call her up on the phone or email her. She won't reply, she's gone… God Arizona, it hurts." The brunette looked pleadingly at her girlfriend in the chair, she needed Arizona to have some answers for her… Anything.

Arizona knew Callie needed space to get through this speech by herself. But the way she was looking at her right now… Arizona got up slowly and pulled Callie into another hug, tightly wrapping her arms around Callie's tense figure.

Callie let out an agonized sigh and tears spilled over the corners of her lids. She crushed herself tightly against Arizona as best she could and the blonde eased herself down onto the bed next to her. Her tears dripped onto Arizona's scrubs as the blonde held her securely. She could feel Callie's arms clutching her and holding her close, like she was grabbing a lifeline.

Callie felt like her girlfriend's arms were holding her together, keeping her from tearing apart at the seams of her already shattered life. At least she still had one constant, Arizona.

Arizona's own tears fell onto Callie's dark hair as she rested her head on top of her girlfriend's. "Shhh," Arizona murmured comfortingly. "Somehow it'll make sense, it takes time, but it will."

* * *

**A/N: The next chapter for Quarantined is almost done, it'll be up once I send it to my beta and stuff.**

**Please review, I loved hearing what you guys think :) **


	5. Goodbyes

A/N: Hey guys :) First thanks for all the great reviews last chapter I loved reading them :)

I need to clear one thing up and I SUPER sorry I didn't write this section very clearly. Sam, the boy Arizona helped wasn't Callie's son. He pointed to a picture on the board and as Arizona went to grab it, she saw Callie's picture next to it. Sorry that wasn't clear :D

Anyway... Enjoy :)

* * *

Callie's eyes remained tightly shut against all of the pain that was waiting to engulf her should she wake up. Even in sleep she constantly searched for Arizona's touch. Callie had clutched Arizona's hand tightly in her own all throughout the night, forcing the blonde to pull up a chair next to Callie's bed and find an uncomfortable sleeping position in the plastic nightmare. She wouldn't have been anywhere else. Bailey had come in to attempt to drag Arizona away a few times but Arizona had resolutely resisted her demands and determinedly grasped Callie's hand as her girlfriend slept.

She wanted to let Calliope dream for a few more peaceful moments before she had to return to the harsh reality her life had become. As she slept Callie didn't have to remember the fire, the sound of the flames roaring closer and closer. As she drifted in between dreams, Calliope's sister didn't have to be dead and her leg could still be in fine working order, not irreparably broken.

But as the hands on the clock inched closer to indicating it was nearing nine thirty in the morning, Callie's eyelids fluttered open. Dark brown eyes gazed groggily up at Arizona for an instant but as Callie took in her surroundings. The IV dripping medicine slowly into her arm, the antiseptic smell and the hospital bed, Arizona saw Callie's eyes cloud with confusion but as a few seconds passed a horrible realization dawned in her girlfriend's eyes.

Turned toward her Callie's looked at her desperately. "It wasn't a dream?" She asked, unconsciously tightening her grip on Arizona's hand.

The expression that flashed across Arizona's face, a mixture of pain, sadness and sympathy answered Callie's question and a gasp escaped the brunette lips as the reality of the situation hit her yet again.

"I'm so sorry Calliope," Arizona murmured comfortingly. For a moment Callie remained mute. What do you say after someone apologizes for the fact your sister died yesterday?

In one last effort to erase the memories slamming through her head Callie screwed her eyes tightly shut. She needed a moment to think, to piece together the shattered images racing through her brain. Beside her Arizona let out a shuddering sob, as if she was attempting to contain a sob building within her chest.

Arizona fought back the tears she felt building up behind her eyes. She couldn't. She wouldn't break down, not when Callie needed her strength. She looked up, searching her girlfriend's face for the formidable courage she always found but Arizona's heart broke when she saw tears streaming down Callie's cheeks.

Numbly Arizona reached up and brushed the tears away with her thumb. Resting her hand on Calliope's cheek, Arizona waited for her girlfriend's eyes to open, for her to just talk to her. She would love to crawl into bed next to Callie and just hold her, but Bailey had walked in the day before and found Arizona squeezed into the bed with Callie and forbidden it. She would let Arizona stay, but any movement to Callie's leg could further damage it and Callie didn't really need that on top of all of her problems.

So, Arizona had to settle for gently stroking Callie's cheek from her bedside.

After a time Callie spoke. "I was happy," Calliope mumbled tearfully. "For about three seconds I didn't remember anything from yesterday or the accident. Then it all just came rushing back…"

"It was like that for me too," Arizona admitted sadly as she brushed more tears from Callie's cheeks. "I would wake up and try to call my brother or something like that but then I would remember and it hit me hard every time… It's hard but you get used to it."

"What's going to happen with Ana?"

Arizona paused but she figured Callie would have to know. "Your parents are coming, the day after tomorrow to pick her up." Callie stiffened automatically.

"She's going to live with my parents?" Callie asked with fear coloring her tone. At Arizona's nod a fresh onslaught of tears escaped her eyes. "What about… Do you know what they're going to do for…"

Arizona knew who Callie was asking about. "Bailey told me they contacted the morgue and asked to have the body sent down to Miami."

"What about me? if the funeral is in Miami then… They're just going to leave me out of this aren't they," Callie's hand clutched at Arizona's for support and the blonde felt a pang of anger course through her body.

They weren't going to let Callie say goodbye? Parents were supposed to love their children unconditionally, even during fights they were supposed to be forgiving. But because of a disagreement they were going to cut her out of the funeral, where they even going to come a see how their daughter was doing?

* * *

"Arizona! That's crazy, just tell her to go to the funeral!" Bailey exclaimed in annoyance. "Why does she even want to go into the morgue when she could just say a proper could bye during the funeral?"

"You told me they were having the body sent to Miami, there is no way Callie can fly with her leg like that and even if she could, she's still in urgent care!" Arizona sighed in frustration. "Don't you see Bailey, they don't want her there. At her sister's funeral…"

The resident's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open slightly. "All because of that fight Callie and her father had while he visited? They won't let her go?"

"They are making it impossible for her to go! She needs to say goodbye. Calliope told me the last words she said to her sister were angry, she feels horrible. Don't make her live with that Bailey." Arizona looked pleadingly down at Bailey and was relieved to see a sympathetic expression cross the resident's face.

"If, and only it's safe for her. You can bring her down in a wheelchair at around two," the blonde smiled gratefully down at the other surgeon.

"Thanks Bailey," She said appreciatively.

"She deserves her chance to say goodbye," Bailey said thoughtfully. "Did Shepherd come to see you yet? He said he wanted to talk about the nerve damage in Callie's leg." Arizona shook her head,

"no we haven't seen him…"

"I'm sure he'll be up before evening rounds. Two o'clock okay?"

Arizona nodded and returned to Callie's room.

* * *

As two o'clock rapidly approached Callie became more and more quiet. Her fingers fidgeted nervously with the ties on her hospital gown and she constantly looked at the clock.

"Calliope," Arizona said softly. "You don't have to go if you don't want to…"

"I…I-I want to, I just don't know what I'm going to say," the blonde reached up and moved a stay hair out of Callie's face before caressing her cheek gently.

"Calliope, it doesn't have to be anything big, just say goodbye. However you want to, she was your sister and she loved you. I'm sure." Callie nodded against Arizona's palm and rested her head against Arizona's comforting hand. "If you want to go we should head down there now…"

"Okay," she said softly. Arizona retrieved the wheelchair from the corner of the room and helped Callie untangle herself from the sheets. By putting one leg on the floor, Callie was able to maneuver herself into the chair without bumping her injured leg and Arizona wheeled her out of the room and down three floors to the morgue.

Bailey waited impatiently for them at the door but her expression softened when she saw Callie's face. "You sure?" She asked Callie hesitantly but the brunette just nodded so Bailey slowly opened the door.

Reading from a chart Bailey read the numbers on the rows of drawers and stopped in front of one.

"This is it…" Bailey gestured to one of the low level drawers and Callie nodded silently. "Arizona and I can wait outside if that's easier…"

At Callie's silence Bailey turned to leave and Arizona gave Callie's hand a comforting squeeze before turning to follow Bailey. Callie tightened her grip on Arizona's hand and twisted to look up at Arizona.

"I c-can't do this…" Callie's hands shook and her voice trembled nervously. The blonde knelt down in front of her girlfriend, cupping Calliope's cheek until she met Arizona's gaze.

"You can. You totally can do this Calliope, just tell her whatever you want to tell her… I'll be right outside if you need me, okay? I promise…"

"Would you stay? I mean, you don't have to, I get it if you think that would be weird or something…"

"I'll stay," Arizona backed up a few feet to give Callie some space. "I'll be right here," she promised.

Callie shot her girlfriend a grateful glance but Arizona could see how nervous she was. She wished she could hold Callie's hand or somehow find a way to reassure her but she knew that this was something Callie needed to do for herself.

The brunette maneuvered her wheelchair a few inches closer to the drawer and tentatively reached out to grasp the handle. She couldn't pull it. It was like something was stopping her, she was to afraid to try to talk to her sister. Callie looked over her shoulder. She could see Arizona behind her, watching her protectively.

Hanging her head Callie tried to summon up even an ounce of strength, tightening her grip around the metal handle, she pulled.

The figure that appeared was covered with a sheet. Callie reached out and grasped the edge of the white fabric. As her fingers trembled she slowly slid the sheet down to reveal the face. Her sister's face. Aria's face…

It didn't look anything like Aria, sure the features were them same and physically Callie knew this was her sister. But the things that made Aria who she was were gone; they had vanished in the disaster with the fire. Callie felt like she was looking at a stranger, but as she gazed sadly at the face in front of her all of it, all the pain the anger, the hate, it all hit home. She was gone.

"I used to hate you," Callie blurted and behind her Arizona's eyes widened. "You were always the better sister. You know, smarter, prettier more athletic. For awhile I couldn't see past that. But that one day on my first day of ninth grade, you remember? I got lost going to every single one of my classes and that night I was so upset I swore I would never go back to that school again. It seems silly now," she laughed softly and continued recounting the memory. "But then after dinner you sat down with me and drew this map of every building in the school. You outlined all of the room numbers and you used glittery stickers on every room where I had a class so I could find it. I told you it was stupid, but I carried it around in my backpack for my entire freshmen year... After that I figured you weren't the worst sister," Callie laughed again but this time tears were slowly dripping down her cheeks.

She could almost hear Aria's infectious laugh and her familiar voice as she responded to Callie voice. But there was nobody there…

"But then, you totally cut me out…" Regret filtered into Callie voice and Arizona thought she sounded almost angry. "After Dad came back from his visit with me in Seattle I didn't hear a word from you. I called you Aria! I must've called you fifty times that first week because I just needed my big sister to tell me everything was going to be okay. But you didn't pick up," Callie accused. "It hurt. It hurt me so much that you would just leave me at one word from our father. But then you came back… You came to see me and secretly I thought maybe you were here to try to apologize or something. You weren't. You were just here to try to force me to go back to Dad and the family." Callie was sobbing now, she knew they probably wasn't the best way of saying good bye to your sister but she needed to get this off of her chest.

"I guess you were just more religious than me or something, but now that I think about it… At least you came back. You tried to get me to do what you thought was right for me, now I can see that. You weren't trying to hurt me, at least I believe you weren't. You were trying to help… " Callie swallowed her tears. There was still more she needed to say, except… this was the hard part.

"I'm so sorry Aria, we just couldn't find a way to understand each other I guess. I'm going to miss you, no matter whatever I said to you over the years, you were a great sister, the best anyone could ask for and I'll always love you… I never got to tell you that and I know it's too late but I'm so sorry for everything. I'll make sure Ana's okay. I'll tell her how much you loved her…"Callie paused and looked down at her sister's face. "Goodbye Ari," Callie mumbled finally as she cast one last glance at the pale figure in the drawer. "I'll miss you…So much"

Callie pulled the sheet back over her sister's face before breaking down into shuddering sobs. Arizona let her cry for a few moments before wiping her own tears and slowly approaching Callie. Sobs wracked Callie's body and Arizona knelt down beside her again, this time pulling into a tight hug.

As her girlfriend's tears wet her scrubs Bailey quietly came back into the room and closed the drawer. "She's gone," Callie whimpered into Arizona's shoulder and the blonde ran her hands comfortingly up and down Callie's back.

"No, Callie she's not. You remember her. You, your entire family, and all of her friends will keep her in your hearts. That's all you can do now, but it's enough…"

* * *

A/N: I know it's short but next chapter will be longer I promise :) I'm writing the next chapter for Quarantined this week so I might not update this story for a couple of days...

Please review :D Tell me what you thought


	6. I Need Time To Breathe

A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for all the reviews last chapter, this chapter is kinda short again but I hope you guys like it :)

Please tell me what you think, should I try a chapter from Callie's or Arizona's perspective next?

Also: I have finals next week so I probably won't update till after friday, i'm sorry :( If I can find time to write, I will but I need to study a lot.

* * *

As Callie sobbed quietly into Arizona's shoulder, Bailey slowly covered Aria's face with the sheet and pushed the drawer shut. Over Arizona's shoulder, Callie watched her sister slide back into the metal vault and a numb sense of finality settled over her. She wanted to yank the drawer open again, pull the shroud away and see her sister's face. Only, Callie wanted to see her laugh, smile, and cry even. Like Callie, Aria had worn her emotions on her sleeve and to Callie, it was disconcerting to see her face so remote and expressionless.

She felt Arizona's breath against her neck as her girlfriend whispered condolences into her ear. She could hear the compassion in Arizona's tone and her strong arms wound protectively around Callie, as if she could shield from the pain.

It hurt Arizona to see Callie so broken. For her it was as if she had to relive her brother's death all over again so sob by sob, tear by tear she felt Callie's pain. All of it. Arizona would take it all away if she could.

But she couldn't. It was raw, burning away deep inside of her. Callie thought maybe with time she could bury it, smother the feeling with apologies and happy memories. Even now, she could tell it would never go away.

"Hmm," Bailey coughed awkwardly and Arizona shot her a confused glance over the top of Callie's head. "Dr. Shepherd, he was coming to see you…" She murmured apologetically. It felt wrong saddle Callie with even more worry but the neurosurgeon did have a very busy schedule.

"Okay," Arizona responded quietly before pressing her lips against Callie's hair. "Just give us a minute…"

Bailey nodded and reluctantly left the couple behind in the morgue, shutting the door softly behind her.

"Calliope?" Arizona asked as her hand traced warm circles across Callie's back. "Baby?" She felt Callie's stiffen momentarily under her touch and raise her head from Arizona's shoulder.

"Do we have to go?" Callie asked tearfully as she cast one last glance over her shoulder at the row of silver drawers. First row, sixth from the left. A silver plaque on the drawer's surface read, number 106. The number burned into her brain as Callie tore her attention away from the box that contained her sister's body.

"Derek is going to talk to us about your leg," Arizona paused nervously. "About your options," she added hesitantly.

"Okay," the brunette answered. Visibly Callie attempted to compose her expression but she failed miserably and tears still tugged at the corners of her eyes.

Arizona grasped the handles of the wheel chair and pushed Callie towards the door. As she passed the last row of metal drawers and approached the glass doors Callie twisted around in the chair and her eyes found number 106. Arizona could tell she wasn't supposed to hear this, but under her breath Callie murmured a few words before facing foreword.

"Goodbye Aria," she whispered, her brown eyed gaze transfixed on the drawer. "I love you and I'm so sorry." Callie faced foreword again her lips set in a determined frown as a few tears dripped down her cheeks.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Derek asked kindly as Callie listened intently to his diagnosis.

"Fine," Callie murmured. At her tone Derek cast a worried glance at Arizona but the blonde shook her head minutely. Callie shouldn't have to explain this…

"Okay. Well Callie, your left leg wasn't affected by the accident. Just a few minor cuts and bruises, but your right leg… It sustained a sizable crush injury," Callie's carefully controlled expression faltered slightly. Arizona saw fear flicker across her face and she tightened her grip on Callie's hand.

"Can I see the X-Rays?" Derek slipped two transparent black sheets out of the folder he held under his arm and handed them to Callie. Holding them up to the light Callie furrowed her brow as she scrutinized the fractures. She held them up against the light and studied the multitude of cracks and splinters littering the X-Ray.

"Really, the bones aren't the issue right now Callie…" He interrupted as she gazed at the X-Rays. "They can be fixed with a special cast as you probably already know, but there is considerable nerve damage that, without surgery, won't fix itself…"

She liked bones… They fixed themselves, she broke them, set them and they would repair any breaks over time. As a resident she had toyed with the idea of going into Cardiothoracic surgery or maybe even Neuro but she had admired the skeletal system's ability to fix. To be broken then come back as strong as ever. She didn't feel like she was capable of that right now…

"What can I do, any surgeries or treatments?"

"I can go in and try to repair the nerves but the surgery is extremely risky, you could lose all function in the leg if anything goes wrong."

"But right now I have no function. I can't even feel my leg!"

"Callie, once we set the bone and it heals we can do physical therapy and you might regain some function."

"How much function Derek? Like running marathons function or hobbling around with crutches?" Callie could feel Arizona beside her, wrapping an arm comfortingly around her shoulders but despite the comfort the simple touch gave her she couldn't ignore the horrible diagnosis.

"Planning on running a marathon Dr. Torres?" Derek asked lightly but Callie just glared at him until he answered. "Probably thirty percent of what you have before, that's good considering your injuries…"

"Good!? Derek!-" Callie's eyes widened at the percentage and Arizona could tell between her leg and her sister's death she was close to either ears or murdering someone.

"Calliope, hey…" Arizona rested her palm against Callie's cheek and forced the brunette to meet her gaze. "You just need time to think okay? Take a day or two and just think it over. In the past two days a whole lot of horrible things have happened so you just need a little time…"

Derek nodded and reached for the door handle. "I'll come back tomorrow and we can talk about it." Callie nodded reluctantly. "I hope you feel better…" He added lamely, merely a formality for all patients. It felt wrong leaving his lips as he stared as his co-worker but to Callie he had no idea what to say.

As the door shut Callie untangled her fingers from Arizona and turned her back to the blonde. Tugging the hospital blanket around her body, Callie stared at the opposite wall blankly as she collected her thoughts. She needed time to think, to try to organize the confused emotions running through her body. Normally she was all for rash decisions and going with your gut but a torrent of indecision and hurt coursed through her body, clouding her thoughts.

How was she supposed to do _anything? _She couldn't do surgery from a wheel chair and Callie was filled with a sense of repulsion as she envisioned her future. Filled with crutches, wheel chairs... Forget driving, or taking the stairs. She hated that she would be completely dependent on others. As a fiercely independent person, Callie could imagine needing help in every aspect of her life. What was she supposed to do, sit on the couch all day?

"Calliope do you need anything?" Arizona asked after a long silence. Callie's form remained unresponsive in the bed and the brunette didn't acknowledge that she'd heard anything. Reaching out to touch Callie's shoulder, the blonde ran her hand comfortingly through Callie's black curls. She felt her girlfriend relax into her touch for an instant before stiffening up again.

"Cal… What's wrong? I know at a time like this it sounds like a stupid question but you don't need to shut me out. I'm here for you, okay?" Arizona rambled but again Callie didn't move and Arizona began to grow slightly nervous. She knew Callie needed her space, and she was all for letting her have that space but silence was very unlike Callie…

* * *

Hours had passed in this uncomfortable silence and Arizona sat worriedly in the chair by Callie's bedside. She desperately wanted to know what Callie was thinking so deeply about but the brunette seemed to have cut herself off from reality.

Ignoring Bailey's threats, Arizona slowly rose from her chair and inched toward Callie's bed. Pulling the covers back slightly and Arizona, careful not to jostle Callie's leg, maneuvered herself into the bed next to Callie.

"I'm here," she murmured into Callie's ear before placing a quick kiss on her cheek. Winding her arms around her girlfriend's waist, Arizona rested her head comfortably on Callie's shoulder and waited. "Whenever your ready to talk, I'm here..."

She waited for Callie to respond, to talk to her. Out of everyone in the hospital, Arizona probably understood best what Callie's was going through. She hadn't wanted to talk either. Right after his death she had grieved with her family but as soon as she tried to return to work she had shut down. Her perkiness had died along with her brother for a while. It took her a long time to regain her optimism, but she knew her brother wouldn't have wanted her to dwell on her pain.

After another half our disappeared in this silence until Callie finally opened her mouth. "I don't think this is a good idea…" She murmured hoarsely.

"What Calliope?' Arizona asked, relieved to hear her girlfriend's familiar voice. "What's not a good idea?"

"Us."

* * *

A/N: Please, please, please tell me what you think :) Suggestions/Comments/Reviews are loved :D

I'll try to get Quarantined updated before finals....


	7. Lose Yourself

**A/N: Hey guys :) Thanks for all the awesome reviews last chapter. I was trying to study for exams but I couldn't get this out of my head so here it is.**

**Warning: It's very angsty and cheesy so prepare yourself :D**

**Song: Endlessly by Muse**

Hopelessly I'll love you endlessly

Hopelessly I'll give you everything

But I won't give you up

I won't let you down

And I won't leave you falling

If the moment ever comes

* * *

_After another half our disappeared in this silence Callie finally opened her mouth. "I don't think this is a good idea…" She murmured hoarsely. _

"_What Calliope?' Arizona asked, relieved to hear her girlfriend's familiar voice. "What's not a good idea?"_

"_Us."_

_

* * *

_

Callie's brown eyes met Arizona's blue ones, sharing a frightened gaze as a surprised sigh escaped Arizona's lips.

"Calliope, I mean why… What-" The words left Arizona's lips laced with worry and her expression betrayed her confusion. Her fingers gripped Callie's shoulder and she forced the brunette to turn toward her.

"I can't be that person for you anymore," Callie stiffened under Arizona's touch, in response the blonde withdrew her hand. The brunette worked to keep the emotion from filtering into her voice and she fought her usual tendency to display her feelings openly on her face. Keeping her voice low and cold, the brunette avoided Arizona's gaze and attempted to make herself stop feeling all the emotions coursing through her body.

She couldn't be doing this, she couldn't end this. This being her relationship with Arizona, the happiest eight months of her life in Seattle. But she felt like something had changed, like she had lost something inside her. The old Callie had been burned away by the fire and the last shreds of her being had been lost in the morgue with Aria.

Where was she now? Who was she now?

Evidently some things would never change. Every time she looked at Arizona, even now she knew she was in love. But _who_ was in love? That was her problem, she didn't know herself anymore.

"I'm not the person from a few days ago Arizona… Being in love, being happy it doesn't feel right anymore. I can't be what you need me to be… Maybe you should just go," the last words came out in a frightened whisper and the blonde pulled away from her in surprise.

"I don't need anything from you." The blonde brushed a few stray hairs out of Callie's eyes. "What I need right now is to know that my girlfriend is going to be okay…. Calliope a horrible, tragic accident happened and right now I think I might know how you feel, but don't throw everything you have away…"

Callie tried to interrupt but Arizona held up her hand. "Maybe you need me to remind you of this, but I love you. I'm not running away because things are going to get hard. Believe it or not, I do actually understand some of what you're going through. When my brother died, Dakota, do you know what I did?"

Callie shook her head impatiently but Arizona placed a finger over Callie's lips. "I did exactly what you're doing right now. I tried to push everyone away… I packed a bag and moved to New York where I finished my residency, I left my girlfriend behind, my friends, my job. I thought it would help or something, but it didn't. It felt worse, and instead I was all alone…"

**Hopelessly I'll love you endlessly**

**Hopelessly I'll give you everything**

"Arizona you don't understan-"

"Yeah, Calliope I do… I lost my brother. I get it. I felt like a completely different person and isolating yourself doesn't help. It just makes it worse, when you are alone there's no one to pull you out when you start drowning. It's just you and going through what you're going through… That's terrible…But now I'm here, and I'll bring you back."

* * *

"_Arizona! Please baby, just tell me where you're going…" Arizona emptied her drawers quickly, not bothering to fold anything as she stuffed her clothes into the suitcase. Her fingers scraped the wooden bottom of the drawer and she moved onto the next one, ignoring the woman beside her._

"_Did something happen… I mean besides Dakota-" At his name, Arizona spun around, her blue eyes wide._

"_You mean when he died? Rachel, just say it! My brother died," The brunette relinquished her grasp on Arizona's arm and the blonde resumed packing._

"_Zona," Rachel pleaded. "Where are you going, do you want me to come with you?" _

"_No," Arizona paused and slid the final drawer shut with a bang. "No, I don't think you should come with me…" She paused and felt around in her jacket pocket, pulling out something small and shiny she held it up before Rachel. "Here's my key, keep it…"_

"_How long are you going to be gone?" Her girlfriend asked and Arizona shook her head. She really didn't understand what was happening._

"_I'm leaving, Rachel. This life, I don't feel like I can live it anymore. I don't think you're going to want me to…"_

"_Zona…" The brunette made a move to grab Arizona's arm but the blonde evaded her hand and turned toward the door._

"_Trust me, Rachel you're better off…" Arizona murmured as she turned toward the door. She didn't look behind her, without a backward glance she left her old life and her girlfriend behind a slammed door. _

_Her brother was behind her, her broken family was behind her… And now all Arizona knew how to do was run, at a sprint, away from everything she felt was catching up with her._

_

* * *

_

Arizona couldn't let Callie make the same mistake, she felt as if she might break if the brunette tried to leave her behind.

"I get it, I understand because it happened to me and all I could do was run away… But that decision, it's one of the worst one I've ever made in my life and I won't let you make that same choice… It hurts too much. You can't run forever…" Arizona cupped Callie's cheek and forced Callie to meet her gaze.

Callie wanted to run, not physically but she wanted to yell, to scream at everyone to just leave her alone. She desperately wanted them to just let her drown, because fighting, that was too much.

**But I won't give you up**

**I won't let you down**

"If I fight for us, if I stay," Callie murmured quietly and Arizona listened intently. "I don't want to give up what we have, what we had… But what am I supposed to do? Limp around for the rest of my life, maybe get one of those electric wheel chairs? Awesome…" Callie spat sarcastically causing her girlfriend to frown.

Arizona knew what Callie was doing, but that didn't make it hurt any less.

"Don't. Don't try to push me away from you like this. You have to make a choice. The Callie I knew, the Calliope I love would've fought, for us, for her life…"

"I told you Arizona, she's gone, dead maybe… That's why, that's why you should just leave me here, because I can't be 'Calliope' anymore. I'm not the same person."

Callie needed Arizona, she knew if she was going to make it through she needed her loving girlfriend with her… But what if she didn't want to fight anymore, what is she just let herself drown?

"Are you afraid, of the surgery of losing your leg?" The blonde asked softly as her fingers traced comfortingly circles on Callie's hand. "Even if you don't choose to have the surgery, I'll stay with you… You have to know that. It takes time but I promise the pain, the loss, it gets easier to deal with…" Arizona's voice faded to a whisper but at her words Callie broke. Her guard, her control, her mask flooded away from her and she began speaking, her voice getting louder and more despairing.

"No. I'm not afraid" The brunette lied vehemently, her voice raising. "My sister died, she died right next to me! And now… Now I can't even walk, how am I supposed to think of having a future? I could lose my ability to do surgery, I don't want to be some disabled girlfriend who sits at home all day. That's not who I am, that's not me!" The words rushed out of her mouth and Arizona was hit with an insurmountable wave of her girlfriend's pain…

Callie's speech, came out jumbled, confused and out of order. But that's what she was right now… Confused, lost, and yes, maybe even a little afraid.

"Every time I even think about my future, our future, I feel guilty. How can I try to be happy? Why should I try to forget her? If I don't let her go and continue my life I'll never go anywhere but how could I do that?" Callie continued forcing every emotion and ounce of hurt she was feeling out of her mouth in the form of a desperate confession.

"Sometimes I catch myself, maybe I'd forgotten. For a fraction of a second I forgot she was dead, I forgot Ana didn't have a mother, and I just let myself be happy I was alive… What kind of horrible person does that?"

"You don't forget," Arizona's soft voice broke through Callie's twisted thoughts. "You never forget, but you move on. You don't waste what they lost Calliope, you're still alive…" The blonde sighed and sat up next to Callie. "Let me bring you back, let me stay with you through this. You need to believe me when I tell you that no matter what happens I won't leave you. No matter what you choose to do, surgery or no surgery I'm staying."

"But-"

"Nothing you say is going to convince me that the person you say you used to be is gone… You," Arizona grasped Callie's shoulders. "You are still the same person, right now you're just scared, overwhelmed and confused… Just talk to me, let me in and slowly we can make it past this… I won't give up if you don't…"

She could just give in, Callie wanted to more than anything. She wanted to take comfort in Arizona's arms, to let the blonde help her through the confusing maze her life had become…

"You don't want this…" Callie whispered tiredly, as the strength drained from her limbs but Arizona shook her head and tightened her grasp on Callie's shoulders.

"I want you. I want you to be okay, and I want us to be okay…" Arizona said firmly. "So just talk to me…" When Callie remained mute Arizona continued. "Tell me what your thinking about… Please…"

"I was thinking… About the surgery actually," Callie admitted and Arizona nodded.

"What do you want to do?" She searched Callie's face for some hint of an answer. "I could ask Derek to come and explain to procedure or something..."

"Before this whole mess I know what I would've done. In an instant I would have chosen surgery, no second thoughts." She ran a hand up and down her arm nervously. "Why is this so hard, I want to chance to recover function in my leg but I mean…"

"It's okay Calliope. You're allowed to be scared sometimes but I think you've already made your choice." Callie's eyes widened and she looked at Arizona in confusion. "When you froze a man just to give him a chance at walking again, when you tried to build a man titanium legs. Even though I wasn't here, you're somewhat of a legend… You're a fighter and you don't give in easily don't let everything that happened take away who you are."

Callie nodded mutely, deep in thought. "I want a chance…" She said finally. "I want to be able to walk, to be with you, to just be normal again."

She knew what she needed, what she wanted. It would take her a long time to get back to her old self, she was sure what had happened would change her, but maybe she didn't need to abandon everyone she knew because of that.

"You don't have to feel guilty for wanting your life back, it's what she would have wanted for you" Arizona murmured. She told Callie what she would have wanted someone to say to her after her brother's death. What it had taken her months to understand.

"I won't run," Callie said softly and a grin ghosted across Arizona's lips. "I'm fighting for us… I'm sorry about trying to force you away I don't know why I just-."

"Don't apologize," Arizona smiled. "Just let me be here for you…" She pulled Callie's toward her and brunette buried her face in Arizona's hair as Arizona wrapped her arms around her waist, rubbing warm circles on her back.

"Arizona! What did I tell you about staying off of the bed!" Bailey exclaimed in annoyance from the doorway.

**And I won't leave you falling**

**If the moment ever comes**

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**A/N: I know it was A LOT of dialogue but please review and tell me what you thought :D**

**Anyway, I'm off to study... **


	8. Arizona's Espionage

**A/N: Okay peoples :D So now that all the relationship drama is over, bring on the family drama! Sorry about the cheesy chapter title, I couldn't resist ;)**

**Thank you so much for all reviews last chapter, I loved reading them :)**

**This chapter begins with Ana and her grandparents, sorry if the names are confusing but here's a list...**

**Ana=Callie's niece, Aria's daughter**

**Carlos Torres=Callie's Father**

**Sofia Torres=Callie's mother**

**The lyrics are from OneRepublic a song called "Someone to Save You"**

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Ana's eyes fluttered open slowly as sunlight filtered in through the blinds of her hospital room. As her dreams faded away and reality came into focus she became aware of a warm hand clutched around her own, un-bandaged hand.

"Mom…" She twisted her head quickly, wincing at the pain the motion caused. Ana hid the disappointment and hurt that washed through her as she realized her visitor wasn't her mother.

They had told her about what happened. A tall blonde doctor had come in and explained something about injuries and extensive burns. She hadn't really understood much, but she had understood when the doctor had taken her hand and told her that her mother wouldn't be coming back.

It's just, sometimes she forgot…

Ana had asked about Callie, but nobody would tell her anything. Every time her aunt's name came up her grandfather's face grew hard and he coughed loudly, while ignoring her questions.

"Sorry Abuela," she brushed a stray hair out of her eyes and turned to face her grandmother. "What time is it anyway?"

Sofia Torres' face stiffened in pain at the mention of her eldest daughter, but she had all but stemmed the tears in the face of the little girl peering up at her. Ana looked almost exactly like her mother. Except for her eyes. She had Callie's large, dark, expressive eyes and Callie's mother could barely look at her niece without being reminded of everything she had lost.

Two daughters, she couldn't help feeling like it was partially her fault. She knew it was her fault for pushing Calliope away, but her husband had been firm. Calliope wasn't their daughter anymore, she couldn't be.

"It's okay Mija," Ms. Torres answered. "It's almost eleven. Carlos just went to fill out some paperwork before we leave tomorrow…" She tightened her grip on the little girl's hand. Callie's father, Ana's Grandfather, was filling out the papers to have Aria's body transported back to Miami. "We have a room all set up for you at the house Ana. You remember where you stayed when you came to visit us at Christmas?" Ana nodded, "well, it's that room…"

"Can I see Auntie Callie?" Ana's lip quivered as she stared up at her grandmother, ignoring the other attempts at conversation.

"No," Ms. Torres responded shortly.

"Why not, she was here a few days ago. Mama told me she lived in Seattle…" Ana asked indignantly. "I thought she was in the hospital too?"

"She's gone… She's not at the hospital anymore." The older woman lied avoiding Ana's plaintive gaze. Carlos had made it very clear when they heard the news that they weren't here to see Callie, Ana wasn't supposed to either.

"She left? But she didn't come say goodbye…"

* * *

**Honesty**

**Is what you need**

**It sets you free**

**Like someone to save you**

**Let it go**

**But hurry now**

**Theres undertow**

**And I don't want to lose you now**

"So," Derek pulled the X-ray from the wall and turned back to Callie and Arizona. "Dr. Torres we should have you ready for surgery by tomorrow night, if that's all right?"

"Yeah, that sounds fine…" Callie murmured and Arizona searched her girlfriend face for some hint of fear or tension but she found none.

"You sure you want to do this?" Arizona asked quietly as Derek shuffled some papers and slid the x-ray into its folder. "I mean you don't have to…"

"Of course Ari. I mean, I have to give myself a chance to fight, otherwise I'll just wonder what could have happened…" The brunette mustered up a smile but it didn't reach her eyes, her anxiety was clear.

"We'll be okay, you'll be okay." Arizona assured Callie whose nervousness seemed to fade slightly at the blonde's words.

As Derek left Callie turned to Arizona with a worried look on her face. "Arizona, you were the doctor that checked Ana's injuries when she was admitted right?"

Arizona nodded, "she was going to be completely fine… Are you worried about her, I think your parents were coming today to take her home…" She finished softly, watching to see how the mention of her parents would affect Callie. Arizona saw what looked like a mixture of anger and sadness flash across Callie's features before the brunette disguised it.

"Can you go check on her? I mean…" She stuttered, "I can't see her, my parents won't even speak to me and since they haven't come to see me yet I guess they won't be coming at all… Could you go and just tell her… Tell her I say goodbye? I need to know she's okay and you're a PEDs surgeon so they'll think it's just a routine check…"

Arizona's blue eyes widened but at Callie's expression she slowly nodded. "Yeah, I can do that… What do you want me to tell her?"

"Just make sure she's okay, that she's happy… Tell her I say goodbye. Just make sure she knows I didn't abandon her…" Arizona brushed a few tears a tear off of Callie's cheek and nodded again.

"Okay, I'll go see her now… Try to get some rest Calliope, I'll make sure she knows."

"Thank you," Callie murmured, clutching Arizona's hand in hers. "For everything... For being you..."

Arizona grinned, "I love you, always. Just remember that."

Placing a light kiss on Callie's forehead Arizona got up and left the room to head up to the PEDs floor.

* * *

"I'm looking for a patient," the nurse at the PEDs desk looked up hurriedly. "Ana Torres?" Arizona asked politely, trying not to let her nerves color her tone.

The nurse clicked a few buttons on the computer, "she's in room 304, scheduled for discharge tomorrow."

"Thank you," Arizona said gratefully before grabbing Ana's chart off the counter.

This was not how it was supposed to go, the blonde thought angrily. She wasn't supposed to meet her girlfriend's family this way, it was supposed to be happy and fun… They weren't supposed to hate her, they'd never even met her…

Pausing for a second to gather herself, Arizona pushed the door open to room 304. Before Ana, and an older woman who Arizona supposed was Callie's mother noticed her she caught a few snatches of conversation.

"But why did Callie leave? Where did she go?" The little girl asked and the older woman just shook her head…

"I told you Mija she isn't at the hospital anymore, she had to leave…."

Arizona's eyes widened, they were lying? Telling Ana that Callie had left the hospital, without even coming to check on her…

They abandoned their daughter, they made their choice. But shouldn't Ana be allowed at least a few minutes to seek comfort with her aunt? Or were they going to take that away?

"Hello, Ms. Torres, Ana," Arizona announced her presence and they both turned to her in surprise.

"Oh," Callie's mother squinted at Arizona's nametag. "Hello, Dr. Robbins…" Momentarily Arizona stiffened thinking that Ms. Torres might recognize her last name but if Callie's mother knew who she was, the older woman didn't show it.

"This is just a routine check before you are discharged…" Arizona mumbled, uncharacteristically subdued. How was she supposed to even mention Callie to the little girl without Ms. Torres throwing her out of the room? "Uhh," she tried desperately to think of some way to pass a message… "Ms. Torres could you step out of the room please?" Arizona said, her voice now dangerously high-pitched.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Oh, no… Everything's fine. I uhh, have to ask Ana some questions and it's procedure for you know, doctor patient confidentially…" Arizona stuttered. Even she probably wouldn't believe her horrible excuses… She had always been a terrible liar and whenever she had tried to lie to her parents or her brother she had been found out immediately.

"Umm, okay…" The older woman turned to Ana as Arizona looked on in surprise. "I'll be right outside okay?"

Ana nodded, looking at Arizona curiously. As Ms. Torres left Arizona edged closer to the bed and pretended to check Ana's vitals.

"So, how are you feeling Ana?"

"Fine, my arm doesn't really hurt anymore… Am I gonna get a scar?" She gestured to the gauze covered portion of her small arm.

Arizona checked the bandage. "Nope, it looks like you'll heal up fine."

"Aww," Ana pouted. "Scars are cool…" The blonde laughed looked down at Ana incredulously, she was so much like Callie.

Arizona paused, Callie wanted her to tell Ana goodbye for her… How?

"Calliope asked me to tell you goodbye for her, since you're leaving tomorrow…" Arizona blurted quickly. Probably not the best way to do it Arizona thought to herself…

The little girl drew in a quick breath and she sat up in the bed, "you know Auntie Callie?"

"Yeah, she's my… Friend…"

"Why isn't she in the hospital, she was in the hotel fire too right?"

Arizona hesitated, she shouldn't ruin Callie's parent's lie, should she? As much as she wanted to, if Ana wasn't allowed to see Callie, what good would it do? It would just cause more pain for everybody.

"Calliope was hurt, but she's getting better now. She really wanted to come see you but she couldn't…"

"Why won't anybody tell me what's-" A loud bang interrupted Ana's angry question as the door slammed open.

"Get out," Mr. Torres hissed through clenched teeth. "I know who you are, don't think I won't have you thrown out of here…"

Arizona paled, Callie's father stood before her his arms angrily crossed tightly across his chest.

"It's not right what you're doing… Sir," Arizona added as Ana looked worriedly between her grandfather and Arizona.

"Get. Out. Of. Here." He spat and Arizona turned back to Ana.

"She loves you, okay? Callie wanted to see you she really did, and she didn't abandon you, she never will…" She murmured quickly.

As she turned away from the confused little girl, Arizona thought she saw Mr. Torres' face soften but it hardened again as soon as she faced him.

The door closed softly behind her but as Arizona moved toward the elevator and hand closed around her upper arm. "I need to talk to you," Mr. Torres said quietly, his voice still menacing.

Arizona eyed him nervously he was much scarier up close, she couldn't imagine growing up with that. "I believe you've said all you need to say…" She wrenched her arm free, her tone frosty.

"I just need to ask you a few questions, where should I-" Arizona gestured toward a conference room down the hall.

"We can talk in there. I'm not sure what you want to say to me…" The walls of the room were glass, Arizona noted. At least they'll be witnesses she thought grimly.

**Sit down and spill your heart**

**Lets start from the very start**

**Cause I can see by your eyes**

* * *

"How can you do this to Calliope?" Mr. Torres rounded on Arizona angrily as soon as the door shut behind them. His expression fierce and his gaze hard.

"I could ask you the same thing," Arizona said evenly, trying to keep her own anger in check. "Sir, Calliope, your own daughter is seriously injured… How can you just ignore her? Family should be a support system; they should be there for you when no one else is… They shouldn't be the ones who break you; they should be the ones who fix you. As far as I'm concerned Calliope's my family, I love her…" He stiffened at those words but Arizona ignored him. "Everyday we see parents who lose their children to horrible accidents. But she's alive, how can you throw that away?"

Mr. Torres' face twisted as he fought to keep the surprise and affront off of his face. "My daughter, my only daughter died in that fire… You took Calliope away from us, if she misses us it's your fault…"

"No. I'm not the one who's hurting her. Calliope deserves people who will stand by her, she needs people to stay with her after all she's been through. If you cared you would know that… I've seen what you've done to her, you can't even see how much pain she's gone through because you. All because you can't accept that we are in love? But despite all of that she remains good and kind. Somehow after all the horrible things she's been through she finds it in herself to care deeply about everything around and I love her for that. You don't deserve her…"

Arizona turned to leave but as she pulled the door open he stopped her.

"How is Calliope? Her injuries, she's going to be okay… Right?"

"She has a surgery tomorrow, she might lose function in one of her legs…" Arizona turned back to him her blue eyes wide. "Don't leave her without saying goodbye, you don't know what that will do to her… But if you come to see her just to abandon her again, don't bother…please"

**Save you  
Someone to save you  
What you need is  
Someone to save you**

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**A/N: Next chapter is the surgery, so yay! :D**

**Please review, tell me what you liked/hated... Whatever, reviews make me smile :D**


	9. It's a Beautiful Day to Save Lives

**A/N: Hi! Okay so here is the next chapter, Callie's surgery..**

**Thank you so much for all of the reviews from last chapter, I loved reading them and it means a lot when you take the time to comment.**

**Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter... The lyrics are from a song by Fireflight called: "You Gave me a Promise."**

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"Are you ready to go Torres?" Derek appeared in the doorway of Callie's hospital room with Izzie Stevens by his side. "We have your surgery scheduled for three o'clock so Stevens is going to start prepping you in a few minutes."

"Yeah that sounds fine," Callie gave Izzie a tiny nod and the blonde responded with a nervous smile. Things had been tense between them since before Callie and George had gotten divorced. Since then things had cooled down but Izzie still wasn't exactly Callie's favorite person.

Derek smiled, "okay, I'll see you in a about half an hour... Stevens," he turned to Izzie. "Come with me for a moment I want to go over a few things with you before the surgery…"

As they left, Arizona grasped Callie's hand, drawing the brunette's attention away from the door.

"Are you sure? Calliope I mean…" Arizona sighed, frustrated at her apparent inability to express herself. "If you, if something happens…"

"Ari," Callie brought Arizona's hand to her mouth and kissed it lightly. "Everything's going to be fine. I couldn't not come back to you, I promise." Her blue eyes brimmed with emotion and tears pooled in the corners of Arizona's eyes.

"Okay," her grip tightened on her girlfriend's hand and Arizona bent over the bed a pressed her lips against Callie's briefly. "As long as you're sure, them I'm sure." She murmured and Callie's lips curved up into a smile.

From outside of the hospital room a different pair of brown eyes was watching the pair. Sofia Torres stood outside her daughter's hotel room and watched her defy everything she had ever tried to instill into her daughter. She wanted to be disgusted, angry… She thought seeing them together would make it easier for her to leave her daughter behind, but what she saw in front of her…

It was tragic. To Sofia Torres everything should be wrong with seeing her daughter with another women, but what passed between them was beautiful. They were saying goodbye, preparing for the inevitable surgery. And even in that moment Ms. Torres realized she had never seen her daughter looking at someone that way before. So sure of what she was feeling, she was in love.

Then how could it be wrong?

"I'm sure." Arizona settled back into the chair, slightly less nervous than before but the moment was interrupted when a small cough sounded at the door.

Both Callie and Arizona turned, startled at the noise and immediately Callie's eyes narrowed at the visitor.

"Could I talk to you Calliope?" Callie's mother stood nervously in the door, looking with embarrassment between Callie and Arizona. "I mean… alone."

Callie shook her head. "You can talk, but whatever you have to say, you can say to the both of us." Sofia Torres hesitated at the door and look uncertain as to what to do.

"Calliope I can go," Arizona mumbled and moved to get up from her chair but Callie stopped her.

"No, Mama anything you have to say you should be able to say in front of Arizona and I… If you can't accept us I don't think I need to hear what you want to tell me…"

"Calliope…" Sofia Torres' mouth dropped open slightly and she reluctantly moved into the room and sat down in a chair by the door. "I-I I came to apologize, to you… and to Arizona."

Arizona could see Callie's eyes widen in disbelief and a faint glimmer of hope appeared in the depths of her gaze.

"I'm so sorry Calliope," Callie's mother's voice softened and she looked desperately at her daughter's bandaged leg. "That we weren't here for you earlier, when you needed family but… But I'm here now and I'm so sorry for shutting you out of our- your family…" Tears glimmered in her eyes and she got up slowly and grasped her daughter's hand.

"Mama…" Callie's voice trailed off but before she could speak her mother turned toward Arizona.

"Thank you… I don't know you at all Arizona, but what you've done for Calliope and even what you said to Ana. I don't see why were so blind before…" Callie turned to Arizona in surprise.

"What did you say to Ana-" Arizona shook her head and smiled at Callie.

"Maybe I'll tell you later," the blonde shrugged teasingly before looking up at Ms. Torres. "I would like a chance to get to know you Ms. Torres, I'm sorry we had to meet… that way…"

"Well, I think were staying in Seattle for a few days longer so I think we'll get the chance to talk…" Callie's mother looked warmly at her daughter's girlfriend with relief.

She had been so afraid she had been too late, that maybe Callie wouldn't be able to forgive her…

At that moment Izzie Stevens appeared in the doorway. "Hey Callie," she looked uncertainly between the three women in the room before nervously brushing a few strands of hair away from her face. "I'm going to take you down to the OR now, if you're ready…"

"Your surgery is today?" Callie mother looked worriedly down at her daughter but Callie just nodded.

"Sure Stevens," Callie turned to her mother. "Yeah, but maybe… You could come see me afterwards, tonight or tomorrow morning maybe?" Arizona could hear the fear coloring her tone but the blonde breathed a sigh of relief as Callie's mother smiled.

"Yes, Mija… And we'll bring Ana she has been asking about you nonstop… It's just a simple surgery right, not too… Umm, dangerous?"

"Yeah," Callie lied smoothly. "I'll be fine, I'll see you after the surgery?"

"Of course," Callie mother bent and kissed her daughter forehead before flashing Arizona a quick smile and leaving the hospital room.

"Izzie?" At Callie's voice Izzie looked up and tried to pretend she hadn't heard any of the conversation that had just taken place.

"Yes?"

"Can you give us a minute, Arizona and I?" Izzie nodded and dropped her chart onto the chair by the door.

"Sure, I'll wait right outside."

As soon as Izzie left Arizona stood up next to Callie's bed.

"I don't understand, why would you tell your parents it's not a risky surgery when actually-"

"Ari," Callie smiled indulgently. "I just didn't want them to worry over nothing. If I know my mother she would be freaking out right now…" Arizona looked warily at Callie before sitting down in her chair again and taking Callie's hand.

"You sure? I mean, sometimes it's nice to have people worry about you… You know I will probably be freaking out too."

Callie laughed. "And, _you _know I love you for that but it's not that risky… Shepherd's as good as it gets…"

"Calliope," a sigh escaped Arizona lips as she felt tears once again start forming in the corners of her eyes.

"Hey, no crying, no worrying…" Callie reached up and brushed a tear off of Arizona's cheek. The blonde leaned into to Callie's hand and placed a light kiss on her girlfriend's palm. "I'll be back in a few hours I promise…"

"I love you… Promise me you'll come back." Arizona pressed her lips against Callie's trying to pour all the love she felt for the brunette into that simple gesture.

"I love you too, more then I can say... And I promise, I'll be back."

**The waves are crashing down on me  
But I know that this cannot be the end, be the end...  
Right now I feel like copping out  
Will You hold me up, if I just say  
That I will stay**

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"Bailey!" Arizona stared desperately at the stretcher disappearing into the OR. "Why won't you let me scrub in… I'll just sit there, in the corner of something…"

"No way Arizona…" Bailey placed a restraining hand on the blonde's arm. "You're her family… I can't let you in."

"Shepherd got to for Meredith's surgery…" Arizona resorted to childish excuses as got more and more desperate.

"That was different, it was a lot less risky than this surgery… Just wait in the waiting room or in the gallery and you can see her after we're finished."

"Bailey-" The shorter surgeon silenced Arizona's protested with a raised hand.

"No Robbins," Bailey said as she walked toward the OR. "I'm sorry but I can't."

With that Bailey left Arizona standing in the hallway until the blonde let out an annoyed sigh and turned toward the galley.

"Hey Robbins," Mark said quietly as Arizona entered the gallery and sat in the seat next to him.

Lexie sat beside her boyfriend and she had a comforting hand on his arm. For once he wasn't yawning or acting bored as he usually did when he had to watch surgeries from the Gallery. His gaze was transfixed on the OR before him as he watched his best friend be put under anesthesia.

"Shepherd's good, he's the best…" Arizona mumbled under her breath, trying to calm herself down.

"Yeah," Mark shifted in his seat and stiffened as his childhood friend raised the scalpel over his best friend's leg and spoke.

"It's a beautiful day to save lives people…"

**With every door that's slamming shut  
A new one's there to lead me where You are**

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"Okay," Derek's clam voice echoed through the OR. "I think that's it, time to close…"

The neurosurgeon looked up in the gallery to see a multitude of relieved faced watching him anxiously. Dr. Torres was popular and lot's of familiar faces had turned up to see her surgery. Beside him, Izzie Stevens checked the monitors quickly before stiffening.

"Sir, her heat rate is elevated…" Derek turned sharply and looked down at the wound he had been preparing to suture shut.

"But there were no bleeders... Stevens, check the blood vessels we must have nicked something…"

Up in the gallery Arizona had risen to stand by the window and her heart thudded in her chest as she noticed Derek's movements becoming slightly frantic. Reaching over she pressed the intercom button and Derek's voice rang through the gallery, sending fear clawing through her chest.

"I don't see any bleeders…"

"But why," Izzie's nervous voice sounded through the room followed by a loud beeping. "Derek her pulse is racing, she's almost Tachycardic…"

Mark got up and stood next to Arizona at the window as they fearfully watched the numbers on the heart monitor rise quickly.

"No…" Arizona mumbled… Then slightly louder, "No! Calliope, don't do this!" She felt Mark's arm on her shoulder but she shook him off.

Suddenly the loud beeping stopped and was replaced with one long beep that Arizona had heard too many times before.

"No!" Arizona pounded her fist against the glass futility. "Calliope! You have to save her shock her or anything… Please!"

Strong arms grabbed Arizona and pulled her away from the window. "Arizona," Mark tense voice sounded in her ears. "You can't distract them… They need to… I mean Calliope will… She's tough..."

She struggled against his arms. "She promised! She promised she would be fine, they can't let her stop fighting!"

Tears streamed down her cheeks and Arizona ignored the pitying glances she was getting from the people around her.

"She promised me!"

**I will hold on to this hope that I have  
You gave me a promise  
You gave me a promise  
I'll push through this moment, I'll never give up  
You gave me a promise  
You gave me a promise  
I'm so tired that I can't stand**

****

But I know that time will heal this heart, heal this heart...

With every door that's slamming shut  
A new one's there to lead me where You are

You, You call out to me  
You're just out of reach  
But I'm closing in  
I'm still going, still believing in Your word

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**A/N: So, lots of lyrics but I thought the song was very relevant to the story :D Next chapter will be up soon, in three or fours days maybe? I hope :)**

**Please review, comments/suggestions/predictions (o.0) are loved :D**


	10. Forever

**A/N: Hello awesome readers :)**

**First of all HUGE thanks for all of the reviews I hope I didn't leave you guys with a cliff hanger for too long but you know I do **_**love **_**my cliff hangers :)**

**Prepare yourselves this chapter is very very angsty, but I hope you like it all the same. It begins with Izzie who remembers Callie and George (don't worry it's still all Calzona goodness :D)

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"Stevens, we need to find the bleeder! She's got minutes left…" Izzie nodded intently and focused her attention on the leg in front of her…

* * *

Izzie Stevens and Callie Torres… They hadn't been the best of friends to say the least. The fact that Izzie had fallen madly in love with Callie's husband had thrown a bit of a wrench in their relationship and Izzie hasn't gone a day since seeing Callie's hurt expression and realizing how much the brunette had actually cared for her best friend, without feeling guilty.

She had relentlessly made Callie feel unwanted in their close circle of friends, coercing George into telling Callie's secrets and never wasting an opportunity to make a joke at Callie's expense but she had never really apologized.

Seeing Callie on the day of George's death, seeing her grasping his hand for a brief moment before breaking down in tears into had sent a pang of guilt deep into her chest and Izzie realized exactly how wrong she had been. In her quest to win her best friend's heart she had ignored how hard Callie was trying to make their marriage work. Izzie had seen all of the weaknesses and fought her hardest to split George and Callie up, but now she saw that she had destroyed something wonderful and maybe something that had made George truly happy.

They had a tentative truce and Izzie wasn't exactly blind to Callie's obvious happiness with Arizona but that twinge of guilt still ached in chest when she made eye contact with her best friend's ex-husband. Callie had come to see her when she was fighting the cancer eating away at her brain and they had talked for a while, reminiscing about George and the days when they lived in the same house. It had never crossed her mind to apologize before, but if the Latina died under her scalpel how on earth was she supposed to make things right… Over a gravestone?

"C'mon Callie," Izzie muttered under her breath as she delicately but hurriedly searched the blood vessels before her for any hint of a tear. "You fought like hell for your marriage, don't give up now… Not when everything's finally good again…"

She heard a faint banging on the glass above her head and Izzie's eyes widened in horrified surprise as she saw Arizona, with tears streaming down her face desperately pounding her first against the glass, screaming.

Callie had found someone, Izzie realized. She had found someone who didn't make her feel ashamed of herself or guilty…

Maybe saving her, saving this relationship could be the start of an apology.

* * *

"Torres…" Mark muttered as he tried to restrain Arizona from slamming her fists against the glass anymore. "Cal, you can't do this… Not to me, and especially not to Arizona…"

Callie had come into his life one lonely night in a bar with an alluring smile and an inviting hotel room and Mark had found himself hopelessly fascinated by the women. Not in the way he usually was, it wasn't necessarily her looks that drew him in, although she was hot, it was undeniable. No, it was her spirit, her rashness and her ability to love unconditionally.

Mark was usually tossed aside by women he dated… Well, maybe he had broken up with all of the women but none of them had really seemed to care. But Callie had assured him that he was good for more than sex, and since Derek and Addison had sworn him off as a friend he found himself enjoying her company without just focusing on his constant policy of 'friends with benefits.'

He would drag her out of the apartment at all hours of the night for drinks at the bar and Callie was one of the few women he had met who could stand his perverted comments without running to the hills… But Callie with gone, without the familiar smile and comfort she offered when he was down… How was he going to survive?

Mark credited Callie for keeping his relationship with Lexie going for so long. Whenever Lexie got mad at him, he would rant and rage to Callie over a bottle of beer until she explained exactly what he had done wrong and how to fix it… They used to be the same person, both detached from their relationships and scared out of their wits to admit to loving someone. They had stumbled through the first months of their respective relationships together, Callie with Arizona and Lexie with Mark. Spending many long nights at Joe's bar wondering how their lives had been turned completely upside down by two different people had strengthened their friendship and through the hard moments they always had each other to fall back on.

It had been comforting know he always had Callie with him, they had each other's back through the whole mess that their lives had become… They had evolved from a string of one-night stands to being best friends.

Who was he going to whine to with all of his problems? Whose bed was he going to sleep in when Lexie kicked him out for the hundredth time? He was scared at the prospect of life without Callie it was like losing Derek and Addison all over again times a hundred because she had done with neither of them could have… She stayed.

As the numbers on the monitors sped up then dropped quickly down like some sort of merciless countdown he realized that he was losing one of the only real friends he had left, his best friend… His work wife…

"Cal, I'm way to young to be a widower," Mark muttered again, making his pain and worry with a joke. But it hurt, but he couldn't lose another person in his life, especially not her.

* * *

Bailey pressed a hand to her mouth as she watched a fellow's surgeon's life slip away in the OR before her. She had just stopped by on a whim as Shepherd had assured her that this was a very simple procedure and the only danger would be to the surrounding nerves of Callie's leg... not her life.

She had always admired Callie Torres… The orthopedic surgeon had a very strong personality and she was amazing in her field, for a while it seemed as if nothing to break her. But over the course of two years Bailey had watched as her interns stripped away all of Callie's defenses and almost destroyed her. Erica Hahn had taken a little bit more of Callie and slowly the brunette's shoulders had slumped and she didn't walk tall around the halls of Seattle Grace anymore.

Bailey had underestimated Callie's abilities only once before, in the race for the chief resident position but Callie had proved herself yet again and it had taken a few days before Bailey had been able to accept that maybe she wasn't the complete frontrunner in all things surgical.

And since the arrival of Mcperky, or Arizona Robbins, the old Callie from before the entire Erica fiasco and her marriage had started to return. Bailey began to see the orthopedic surgeon who had frozen a man's entire body and helped him regain the ability to walk, the woman who had built a man a new set of legs with titanium.

But now Callie Torres was making Bailey doubt herself… Normally doubt wasn't even a word in Bailey's dictionary but she was left wondering if she could have been a better friend… Maybe she could have intervened and stopped George's idiocy from destroying their marriage. At least she could have been there for Callie when the divorce was finalized or when Erica had walked away…

Too many of her friends and co-workers had their lives laid out before them on the OR table…

* * *

Arizona struggled against Mark's arms retraining her in her efforts to get closer to the glass. Tears dripped down her cheeks and onto her scrubs as the yellow line on the heart monitor remained flat and unmoving.

Calliope…

Arizona remembered nervously following Calliope in the bar bathroom at Joe's only a few days after beginning her job at Seattle Grace… It had taken a few drinks for her to get up the courage to talk to the beautiful surgeon but Arizona had followed her into the bathroom nonetheless and she never regretted in for an instant.

She had expected it to be normal, the usual type of relationship that lasts a few weeks before both people realize that it isn't that fun anymore. But for once Arizona had been wrong, very very wrong.

In her past relationships, the breaking point usually came when her girlfriends found out about her frequent nightmares or the fact that her brother had died only three years go. Having a girlfriend with such a troubled past had proved to be too much of a burden for most people...

No, Arizona definitely hadn't been seeking a relationship when she began her job at Seattle Grace hospital but she had found someone she had expected would last her a lifetime. The second night Arizona had slept over at Callie's apartment her nightmares had resurfaced, and she had woken up Calliope by accident. The blonde had tried to pass it off as a one time thing as she was afraid that Callie would be scared off by the fact she actually wasn't as perky all the time as she let on. But Callie had pulled Arizona back into her arms without hesitation as so Arizona told her…

She told her about the tiny coffins that lurked in the back of her mind and haunted her during the night. She had told Callie about her brother and how she dreamed about the day he died, reliving it over and over again during the night until sobs consumed her body.

But Callie didn't run, she didn't push Arizona away and tell her that maybe their relationship wasn't such a good idea after all. No Callie had held her closer and wrapped her arms around Arizona's shuddering figure, letting her drift off to sleep, protected and safe.

When Callie's father had come to visit and tried to drag his daughter back to Florida Arizona had watched in amazement as Callie cut herself off from her family to stand up for their relationship. Again and again Callie had amazed her with the strength she possessed, she didn't cry in the face of authority although Arizona knew that Callie thought the fact Arizona did was adorable.

Over the next months there had been a thousand moments in which Arizona could tell just how much Calliope loved and cared for her. She knew with every smile the brunette sent her way or inside joke they giggled at to the mystification of their friends that they had been building something. They had said the three words: 'I Love You' that both women had wanted to say for a while. It had meant the world to her when Calliope had uttered the three words Arizona had longed to hear and to be able to say them back, knowing she meant it with every fiber of her being was wonderful.

But this wasn't how it was supposed to end.

They were supposed to buy a house close enough to the hospital that they could still go in quickly if they were paged but far enough that the ambulance sirens wouldn't ring through their lives every few hours. They could be together, alone, without the constant sea of people always occupying Calliope's apartment and interrupting whenever they had some alone time. It was going to have a huge backyard and huge windows letting the sunlight flood the house during the day.

There were supposed to be kids… Arizona had always insisted she wanted a mini Calliope but Callie wanted their child to have bright blue eyes and the adorable dimples that on a child could probably melt anyone's heart. Maybe even Christina's…

She couldn't imagine a morning without waking up snuggled against the women she loved most in the world. The women she had practically force out of bed every morning since Calliope had an adorable ability to sleep through every alarm that existed... but she loved it. Arizona loved the way Callie cared so deeply but fought hard not to show it, the amazing compassion she held for everyone around her even Mark with his disgusting perverted comments.

They were supposed to get their forever together, Arizona wasn't supposed to be left behind to pick up what was left of life without Calliope and struggle onward. Who was going notice when Arizona was upset even when she masked with a smile and a skate on her Heelys? Callie noticed in a thousand different ways when Arizona was upset even when nobody else did. Who was going to watch all the boring Disney movies that Arizona secretly loved with her until three in the morning? Who else but Calliope knew exactly where Arizona went after she lost a patient and how to cheer her up?

Arizona thought of everything she should have said to her girlfriend. Did she tell Calliope she loved her? Not in the way they did every morning before the left for work but had she told Calliope how much she loved and needed her? Did she say how much she needed Callie's arms around her when the nightmares came or her girlfriend's solemn company when Arizona went to visit her brother's grave? How just the gentle tough of Calliope's hand could ease the ache inside of her and the feel of Callie's hand around hers was sometimes a lifeline? She hadn't.

It was supposed to be their forever, but it was disappearing with one long drawn out beep and a flat yellow line…

Arizona knew that if Callie died, if the love of her life slipped through her fingers she wouldn't have nightmares about tiny coffins anymore. Her nights would be filled with this moment, this one terrifying moment in which Arizona knew her life rested in the hands of another surgeon.

It was supposed to be their forever…

But it was disappearing fast.

* * *

**A/N: I wanted to write everyone's perceptions in the gallery as they saw that Callie might die... I hope it didn't come off as horribly cheesy I was worried about that for some parts :/**


	11. Dreaming Out Loud

**A/N: Hey awesome readers :D Thank you guys for all of the super reviews last chapter. I loved reading them and all of you are super-duper awesome :D**

**Yay for making it to chapter eleven, this is now my longest fanfic.. so Whoot! And thanks to you guys for reading eleven chapters :)**

**This chapter is kind of dark.. and bizarre but ya know... I don't really know how I feel about it but, just give it a chance...**

* * *

**Pictures of You**

**Chapter Eleven**

The OR had turned dark, the blue florescent lights had been switched off but surgical instruments still gleamed dimly in the darkness. There was no patient on the table, no surgeon standing over a body, playing some twisted version of god. It was all over, the gallery had emptied, the seats usually filled with interns scribbling notes or attendings looking on with thinly disguised boredom were deserted. No, they were all gone, but he wasn't.

Mark sat in a chair above the abandoned OR with his arms folded tightly across his chest and his jaw set in a hard line. Losing people wasn't exactly a new experience for Mark, but normally they drifted away slowly or he pushed and shoved until they just walked away from him. He had never had someone so close to him ripped so suddenly away from him before.

It was Callie; she had been _his _person. He loved her, not in the way Arizona did… maybe once, but he had let her go. It had never been real between them, just a quick fix for bigger problems so it didn't bother him that they had both moved on. He was happy with Lexie, and Callie had lately been bursting at the seams with uncharacteristic smiles and giggles since meeting roller skate girl. But it didn't matter; happy had looked so good on her.

No it definitely wasn't that type of love between them, but usually it was the two of them against the world. Whether it was developing one-step programs to help their intern addictions or drinking until one in the morning at Joe's it had been just the two of them. When neither of them were single, they freaked out to each other about their respective relationships and consoled each other when they thought they had lost some of their badass-ness.

Now he relieved each moment of that surgery, every cut and suture was burned into his memory and that scared him.

"Hey," Lexie murmured softly as she tiptoed into the gallery and sat down next to her boyfriend. "I just heard about what happened, I'm so sorry Mark… it must have been terrifying." She touched his arm comfortingly but he continued to stare blankly into the OR as the surgery replayed itself before him.

"I can't get it out of my head Lex," he mumbled and she could see his brow furrowing in concentration as if he was trying to remember something. Or forget.

"I know… But Mark, Callie's going to be fine. Shepherd said it might be a few hours until she wakes up but they found that bleeder quickly enough…"

"It was too close," he muttered and allowed Lexie to slip her small arm around his shoulders. "I hate that it was that close…"

* * *

"Arizona?" Derek murmured toward the hunched figure sitting next to the bed. By her posture and the red-rimmed blue eyes that now turned toward him he already knew the answer to his question. "Has she, woken up yet?"

Arizona shook her head, as she ran a hand through her messy curls. "No, not yet…"

"You know you could go to an on-call room-" Derek offered as he took in the exhausted slump of her shoulders but the blonde's gaze hardened visibly.

"No," Arizona said shortly. "If she wakes up and I'm not…" She turned away from him and gently ran her thumb over one of Callie's limp hands. "I want to be here when she wakes up."

"Arizona-"

"What if it was Meredith?" Arizona asked quietly without turning to face him. "If it was Meredith lying here, after surgery? You would be here with her. Don't try to persuade me to go… I can't, and I won't."

A small smile tugged at the corners of Derek's lips as he heard the obvious love in her tone. He had always liked Torres, he hadn't really gotten her whole marriage with George though… There had been something missing, but apparently Callie had found someone who was everything she needed and probably much much more.

"Arizona, I was going to remind you, it still might be a few hours until she wakes up. That's all, but I do advise you get some rest." Arizona nodded her head and Derek slipped back out the door quietly.

"C'mon Calliope," Arizona mumbled as she brushed a stay hair away from her girlfriend's face. "Baby, wake up…"

* * *

**(Callie's Dream)**

Callie opened her eyes slowly and sat up gently in the hospital bed. Her room was dark, the blinds were shut tightly but the faint glow from the streetlights glowed behind the fabric and illuminated her surroundings. The first thing Callie noticed was, Arizona was gone… The blonde was nowhere to be seen in the room and the hallway outside was obscured by a drape. It was impossibly quiet for a hospital. Normally heart monitors beeped in the distance and the screech of the ambulances provided a perpetual background noise.

Sliding her legs out from under the bed sheets, Callie gingerly set both feet on the floor and slowly put weight on them. Her foot wasn't numb, she could wiggle her toes and as she stood up her knees didn't go weak beneath her. So the surgery had worked. A relieved sigh escaped Callie's lips as she relinquished her hold on the bedpost and stood firmly on her own two feet.

"Callie," a familiar voice echoed strangely from the corner of her room and Callie spun around in confusion.

"Aria?" Callie stumbled as she gazed at the form of her sister leaning casually against the wall of the hospital. "N-no, you're dead Aria. I saw you, I saw your body…"

"I'm here aren't I?" Aria replied with her typical bored drawl but she straightened and motioned for Callie to follow her. "Yeah, I'm dead… but so are you Cal."

"This isn't happening," Callie muttered under her breath. Extending a tentative hand, Callie edged closer to her sister a brushed her fingers across her sister's arm. She had expected her fingers to pass through her sister's arm, but they collided against, very real, very sold flesh. "No," Callie stepped backward away from her sister. "No Aria you're dead!"

Looking around fearfully, Callie paled even more. "Where's Arizona?"

"I told you Cal, you're dead. She's gone… Actually," Aria checked her watch as Callie watched her guardedly. "She's probably working right now…"

"I'm not dead, I just got out of surgery." Callie insisted, crossing her arms tightly across her chest and watching angrily as her sister smirked.

"Okay, then. But follow me, I think you'll be convinced…" Aria walked over and grasped the door handle. Pulling the door open she moved quickly through it and Callie followed behind her.

"Where are we going Aria?" Callie asked with annoyance as she hurriedly followed her sister. "I need to find Arizona."

"We have to go meet someone," Aria answered coolly as they turned down the hallway toward the different OR's. "There," Aria stopped and pointed toward the third OR room. "You remember what happened in there?"

"I dunno…" Callie wracked her brains until her thoughts rested on one terrifying conclusion. "That's… That's the OR George died in isn't it?"

"Yeah, the husband I never got to meet…" Aria said bitterly as she knocked once on the OR door. After a few moments it opened revealing another, all to familiar figure.

"George," Callie breathed in astonishment before her common sense took over. "No! What's happening to me? You're both dead… I cried when you died, for days! George I went to your funeral, I saw you in the casket… No…"

"Callie," George's gaze left Callie's face and he turned to Aria. "You haven't told her?"

"I did," Aria defended while once again leaning against the wall. "But she didn't believe me…"

"You're dead Callie," he looked at her sympathetically but Callie merely backed away from the pair of them.

"No, nope… No, no, no, no! I just need to wake up... That's it, I'm dreaming…"

"Sure," Aria responded with a bored voice but George chimed in.

"Callie, we need to show you some things… You'll understand everything once you just come with us…"

"Where?" Callie asked as she continued to glance desperately around the empty halls, wondering if calling for help would have any effect.

"First we need to go to the OR next door…"

* * *

Suddenly she was in an OR filled with people… It was much too hectic to be the average surgery. Derek Shepherd was standing over a patient while Izzie Stevens stood beside him and they were frantically looking at an open wound in the patient's leg mumbling something about bleeders.

"That's you," George explained, gesturing at the patient on the table. At first Callie scoffed but she edged closer and around the other side of the woman lying on the table…

It was her face… She was lying there on the table and with people scurrying around her body, she was flat lining. Callie Torres was standing in front of… herself, her own body... Watching herself flat-line.

"I'm so going to need therapy," Callie muttered as she turned back to George and Aria. "I don't get it, I can walk… That means the surgery worked…"

"Just watch," Aria crossed her arms and pointedly focused her attention on the action in the OR.

Izzie was mumbling something about not being able to find the bleeder and Derek was at her side by the wound looking completely at a loss. Suddenly Callie realized she could hear a very familiar voice in the background.

"Arizona," she murmured as the familiar voice of her girlfriend could be heard from the gallery.

Looking up, Callie's heart melted. Arizona was crying, screaming and pounding on the glass of the gallery window. Mark was beside her, making a half-hearted attempt to restrain her but his eyes were fixated on the OR as Callie continued to flat-line.

"Calliope!" Arizona was screaming into the OR at tears dripped down her cheeks. "Calliope don't do this!" The blonde's face crumpled as Derek dropped his scalpel on the tray beside the OR table.

"Time of death 3:45 p.m." Derek muttered as he looked sadly down at Callie's body and pulled off his scrub cap.

Callie looked over her shoulder at her body lying on the table… "But, the surgery worked! How am I dead… If…" Turning to Aria and George, who were watching her with expectant expressions, she was overwhelmed.

"Arizona!" Callie yelled at the blonde collapsed in the gallery and let her hands trail down the glass. "Arizona I'm here!" She screamed, "I'm here! Look down! Ari! I'm down here!"

Moving quickly Callie tried to run past George and Aria and up to the gallery but they stopped her.

"We have more things to show you…"

* * *

Now Callie was in the crowded PEDs floor at Seattle Grace. She recognized the warm, happy atmosphere immediately and all the patients on this floor seemed to be children.

"Take me back," Callie spat toward the two people she had assumed to be dead standing next to her. "Do your freaky dead person transportation thing and take me back… I have to see Arizona, she has to know I'm still alive!"

George turned toward her and offered a comforting smile. "Callie, you're dead… This is one of the things we need to show you…"

"I'm done with this!" Callie made to march off down the hall in search of Arizona and probably some sort of psychotherapist but Aria's voice stopped her.

"Look at the date Cal…"

"Whatever, I know the date it's March fourth, 2009!" Aria nodded toward the calendar on the PEDs desk and Callie angrily grabbed it and focused her gaze on the pages in front of her.

"See?" Aria asked smugly and Callie gasped.

"That's not right, it's been two years?"

"Callie I really don't know how else to tell you this but you're dead. Were here to show you everything that happened after you died that day. Yes, it's been two years, so just watch…"

Callie was about to protest again but a familiar blonde came into view… Except she wasn't all that familiar anymore, it was as if a ghost of the woman she loved was standing before her.

Arizona's Heeley's were gone, replaced with the sensible athletic shoes most surgeons wore. There was no bear hanging merrily off the pocket of her white coat and her always-present grin was distinctly faded. Her eyes, that's what really struck Callie though. Her eyes were dead; the bright sparkling blue was gone, replaced with a distant look filled with sadness and exhaustion.

Callie watched as Dr. Karev approached Arizona.

"Dr. Robbins here are the files you asked for…" Arizona didn't look up she held out and hand and took the files, nodding her thanks. Alex looked worried as he stood beside Arizona and she tilited her head up to look at him.

"Was there something you needed Karev?" Arizona asked coldly.

"I wanted to say I was… uhh… sorry. I know today is the anniversary of Callie's death and-"

Callie saw something flash in Arizona's eyes before they turned blank and she looked back down at her files. "That will be all. You can go to the ER for the rest of the day…" Alex nodded slightly as he walked off toward the elevators.

Callie ached to wrap her arms around Arizona, to somehow ease whatever was on her mind but it broke Callie's heart to see she looked beyond repair.

Arizona dropped the chart onto the counter and began walking quickly away from the nurses desk, toward the on-call rooms on the PEDs floor. Instinctively Callie followed her and she slipped inside as Arizona shut and locked the door behind her.

As Arizona collapsed onto the bed, Callie was horrified to see that tears were dripping down Arizona cheeks as the blonde buried her face in the pillow. Sobs shook Arizona's body and Callie reached out a hand to pull Arizona into her arms but her hand went right through her sobbing girlfriend.

"Calliope," Callie looked at Arizona in surprise, it sounded like Arizona was talking to her… But she wasn't, Arizona looked right past where Callie was kneeling beside her. "Why did you have to die?" Arizona asked tearfully, her voice muffled by the pillow. "It's been two years, but god I miss you so much… We were supposed to have everything together, I wanted everything with you... I believed you, when you promised me, but you left me here all alone... I miss you, too much sometimes..."

"No, Ari… I'm here… I'm right here with you, I could never leave you…" Callie pleaded but Arizona kept sobbing, deaf to Callie's voice.

"What happened to her?" Callie queried as Aria and George watched the entire scene impassively.

"She never got over you… You heard Alex, you've been dead two years…" George explained softly.

"No… Arizona," Callie whispered but Aria grabbed her sister's arm.

"I think she's seen enough."

* * *

All the faces and the bright lights melted away until she was once again in an eerily quiet hospital with Aria and George standing in front of her.

"What was that?" Callie asked tightly as she remembered Arizona's lost expression and her cold demeanor. Then the tears, Arizona's tears had broken her heart... She wanted everything with Arizona, she would never leave Arizona voluntarily. She had to know that... "Are you saying that's what going to happen to Arizona?" She finished, her voice slightly fearful. That couldn't happen, not to her Arizona.

"No," Aria replied. "It's what will happen if you don't wake up. After you died she never got over you, well maybe she did but your death changed her. Mark too, the people who you were closest to, you took something from them when you died."

"If you die, that's what's will happen. You have a choice Callie," George explained. "You can just let yourself go, stop fighting… It's easy, it's effortless, but that's what you'll be leaving behind… what we showed you…"

"Then I want to go back!" Callie yelled desperately and a wave of sadness flashed across Aria's face.

"Just open your eyes Cal…"

"Wait," Callie paused and she glanced back at her sister and her ex-husband.

"Make a choice Callie," Aria spoke softly.

"Aria," she whispered softly. "I'm so sorry, you shouldn't have died it was just…"

"I know Cal," Aria murmured as she met her sister's gaze. "And I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to meet Arizona…" She laughed, "I was too close-minded I guess… But Callie?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you just make sure Ana's okay?" Aria asked… "I-I'm so sorry she has to grow up without parents, I wish I could have given her better… Just make sure she's loved, make sure she remembers that I loved her Callie…"

"I promise…" As Callie moved toward her sister, the woman in front of her began to fade away and Callie was left grasping at thin air. "George?" Callie looked around for her sister but all that remained was George beside her.

"Bye Callie," he murmured. "I'm glad you're happy, with Arizona... I'm happy for you Cal." He said affectionately as he too began to fade. "Just walk down the hallway, if you want to go back… Otherwise," he shrugged "just wait…"

"George?" Callie whispered at the darkness surrounding her but no answer came. Shaking her head, Callie hesitated for a second then walked slowly down the hall…

* * *

**A/N: OKay so I started writing at 10:30 p.m. and I finished this chapter after 2:30.. If anything is wacky I blame sleep deprivation...**

**I was really nervous about posting this chapter, I wasn't sure if people would like it but I hope you guys don't hate it...**

**Callie dream was supposed to be disjointed and kind of weird but it was just kind of a random idea I had... it's kind of like Meredith's dream thing in season five... except.. different..**

**Reviews are loved :D**


	12. Dream Catch Me

**A/N: Hi guys :D Thanks so much for the reviews last chapter, all of you are awesome for leaving me feedback :D**

**The lyrics in this chapter are a sing called Dream Catch Me by Newton Faulkner**

**There isn't that much of a cliff hanger, so... bring on the fluff**

* * *

**Every time  
I close my eyes  
It's you  
And I know now  
Who I am**

**Yea yea yea  
And I know now**

Callie's eyes opened slowly as she gazed blearily through her pitch-black hospital room. The setting was eerily familiar to that in her dream and she involuntarily cringed against the pillows as the last remnants of her dream came back to her. She searched the hotel room quickly, making sure the ghosts of Aria or George were absent, and she was actually awake and firmly rooted in reality. But as she slowly became more aware of her surroundings, as the remains of sleep drained away from her, she felt someone clutching her hand in a vice-like grip. Looking down a relieved smile tugged at Callie's lips. Arizona was there, her head pillowed on the side of the mattress as the rest of her body was scrunched awkwardly in a chair. One of the blonde's hands was stretched out, and wrapped firmly around Callie's.

"Ari," Callie whispered, her voice slightly hoarse from lack of use. The effect was instantaneous, Arizona stirred against the blankets for a moment before she jerked upright, her eyes flying open.

"Calliope?" Arizona asked tentatively, a tinge of hope coloring her tone. "Are you awake? Please be awake…"

"Hey," Callie said softly, tightening her grasp on Arizona's hand and a relieved sigh left the blonde's lips. The sigh quickly melted into the onset of shuddering sobs and tears slowly trickled down Arizona cheek as she buried her face in the fabric of the blanket next to Callie's leg. "Ari? What's wrong…" Callie asked worriedly, her fingers rubbed comforting circles on Arizona's back as she trembled.

"It's just…" Arizona looked up, meeting Callie's worried gaze with a mixture of love and fear. She leaned into her girlfriend's hand gratefully as Callie reached up and brushed a few of the tears off of her face. "You almost died on me… But now you're awake." Arizona admitted tearfully and Callie's eyes widened perceptively.

"In surgery?" Arizona nodded.

"It was awful, terrifying… I was up in the gallery and… and your heart stopped… It stopped beating right in front of me and suddenly I wasn't watching you get better, I was watching you die… and…" Her lip trembled but Callie reached up and touched Arizona's cheek gently, pulling her gaze back toward her.

"But I'm here aren't I?" Callie replied with a small smile as she gestured around the room. "I promised you." Arizona nodded and for an instant Callie feared that a fresh onslaught of tears was approaching but suddenly Arizona leaned foreword and wrapped her arms tightly around her girlfriend in a very tight, rib-cracking embrace.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Arizona whispered, her voice muffled by the fact her face was buried in Callie's neck. "If you had… You know... I don't really know what I would have done…" She admitted, wrapping her arms more firmly around Callie, as if making sure she was still there. The brunette lightly kissed the top of Arizona's head, enjoying the familiar scent of Arizona's shampoo as well as the closeness between them.

"I need you," Arizona mumbled and she drew in a deep breath. "This is going to sound really cheesy, but it feels like I need you to breathe, to function. When it looked like you weren't going to make it, I-I just felt numb…" Arizona exhaled forcefully and smirked slightly in her embarrassment. "Wow, that was cheesy even for me…"

Callie knew Arizona was embarrassed. Her girlfriend was usually all about sharing feelings but when it came to admitting a weakness or in this case how much she relied on Callie it wasn't something she talked about freely.

"It wasn't that cheesy," Callie replied quietly and she felt Arizona relax slightly. "But really more than that, it was true. For me too, you know…" Callie struggled for a moment as Arizona looked up at her expectantly. "You're like, my Oxygen or something…" Confusion clouded Arizona's blue eyes and Callie rushed to explain as best she could. "Without you I can't breathe either, I just…. Okay it's a bad metaphor."

Callie was very grateful for the darkness because she could feel a formidable blush flood her face.

"Nope," Arizona giggled softly. "I get it," she furrowed her brow. "Well sort of anyway."

"I'm sorry," Callie murmured in Arizona's ear. "That you were so scared, that I couldn't have been there…"

At those words Arizona pulled away and a raised eyebrow. "Are you really apologizing to me, when you were in surgery fighting for your life?" A small smile appeared on her face for the first time since Callie had awoken and the sight of those familiar dimples warmed her heart. "I didn't mean to make you think I was upset, I'm super glad you're okay. Like…" Arizona paused, her smile growing slightly as she looked down at Callie. "Indescribably happy," she finished with a laugh.

Arizona leaned down kissed Callie quickly. "Just," she punctuated her words with more kisses. "Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again. You know, the whole almost dying thing…" She allowed the last kiss to linger for a moment longer before pulling away. "Woah," Arizona's gaze had found the clock on the bedside table and it read just past one thirty in the morning. "You really should get some sleep…"

Callie groaned; feeling slightly disgruntled at the absence of Arizona's lips. "I've been sleeping for the past day and a half from what it seems like…"

"Callie," Arizona grinned as she settled back down into her chair by Callie's bedside. "You just had surgery, resting is pretty essential in the recovery and such…"

"Okay, I guess." Callie pulled the blankets up around herself but she reached out and caught Arizona's hand. "But can you sleep up here? I mean on the bed…"

"But Bailey-" Arizona frowned for an instant before a smile broke through. "As long as I don't move your right leg or anything, it should be okay…" The blonde lifted the edge of the covers and quickly scooted under the blanket as Callie wrapped her arm around Arizona's waist. Arizona nestled herself against Callie's chest, reveling in the warmth of once again feeling her girlfriend's body pressed against hers.

**There's a place I go  
When I'm alone  
Do anything I want  
Be anyone I wanna be  
But it is us I see  
And I cannot believe I'm fallin  
That's where I'm goin  
Where are you goin  
Hold it close won't let this go**

**

* * *

**

Arizona opened one eye blearily as sunlight streamed in through the window. Callie's arms were still wrapped tightly around her and from the clock on the table she figured it was about half past eight in the morning.

"Hey Blondie…" Mark peeked his head in through the door and Arizona jumped, letting out a disgruntled squeak in her surprise. "So…" He eyed his best friend who was asleep in bed with her girlfriend with a suggestive glint in his eye and Arizona groaned.

"What are you doing here?" She paused catching on to where his mind was right about now. "And it's way to early for your perverted jokes right now."

"Hey!" Mark defended and he raised his hands in front of his chest innocently. "I wasn't thinking about-"

At a disbelieving snort from Arizona he amended his statement. "Okay, well I wasn't going to _say _anything." His tone turned marginally more serious although Arizona could tell he was worried. "She woke up right?"

"Yep." Arizona smiled brightly, "last night." At the sound of her voice Callie stirred and pulled Arizona closer, Mark grinned slightly at that.

"Her leg, is it… You know, better?" He shrugged and glanced over Callie's leg but it's condition wasn't discernable under the layers of bandage.

"Derek told me it was too early for her to try to move it, but he said the surgery was fine so it should've worked."

"Except for…" Mark shrugged but Arizona's smile faltered at the memory of the complication in surgery. Callie was pretty much the only connection Arizona had to Mark Sloan, their love for the brunette sleeping soundly next to Arizona was the only thing they would probably ever have in common besides the obvious career choices. In the gallery she had caught a glimpse of the man Callie kept describing to her as who Mark Sloan really was. Previously she had seen no evidence of this caring man that Callie attested lay beneath the man-whore exterior, but when Callie was flat lining she had seen real panic and terror in his eyes that matched her own.

It was a horrible experience to bond over…

"Yeah, except for that…" Her voice trailed off as she was not about to re-hash the events of the surgery, but Mark didn't seem to want to revisit that either.

"Hey... Mark what on earth are you doing here?" Callie's sleep thickened voice pulled both Arizona and Mark out of their respective reveries and they both looked down at her.

At the sound of his best friend's voice relief flooded Mark's body and he moved to stand next to Callie's bedside.

"Hey Cal," Mark said jovially. "I came to check to see if you were awake yet…"

Before Callie could respond Christina appeared in the doorway.

"Hey, Cal you're awake!" Christina exclaimed with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. "Cool…" Callie sat up slowly in her bed and Arizona moved to get off but Callie kept Arizona's hand firmly intertwined with hers.

"Yeah," Callie rubbed her eyes with her free hand and smiled at the company in her hospital room. "Now I just have to learn how to walk again…"

**You do so much  
That you don't know  
It's true  
And I know now  
Who I am**

**Yea yea yea  
And I know now**

* * *

"Hey Torres. I'm glad to see you awake." Callie waved slightly while she was eating the last spoonfuls of Jello out of the container that Arizona had brought her along with her sandwich for lunch.

"Hey Derek," she dropped the empty Jello container onto her tray and looked up at him expectantly.

"I'm just here to follow up on your surgery," he explained as he glanced though her chart nodding slightly in approval. "It takes a few days to recover from this type of surgery, so you shouldn't try moving your leg until, hmm. Maybe around tomorrow night."

"Okay," Callie nodded understandingly.

"But you're feeling all right, no pain anywhere else?" Callie shook her head but as Derek turned to leave she paused.

"Derek?"

"Yes?"

"What happened during surgery, I mean Arizona said there was some complication or something…"

"Oh," Derek looked slightly uncomfortable but he leaned against the wall and began to explain. "There was a bleeder in your leg, and you flat lined for about a minute… There was nothing I could have-"

"No," Callie smiled. "I wasn't blaming you or anything… I was just curious because a few people mentioned it to me that's all. There are complications in surgery all the time…"

"Thanks Torres," Derek replied with an amused grin. "Anyway, Bailey will be here in about an hour to check your vitals and such… And I'll see you tomorrow night and we'll see about your leg.

"Okay, thanks Derek." He nodded and walked out of the room and down the hall. Callie reached over to the bedside table, searching for the remote for the television. There really wasn't much to do as a patient Callie noted with boredom as she flipped through the channels.

Beside her, her phone vibrated making an annoying rattling sound against the wood. Reaching out, Callie grasped the phone and flipped it open. The envelope icon was flashing brightly so she opened the text and read it a smile spreading across her face as she did so.

_I'll be up in a few minutes, my shift is almost over :) _

_P.s. Your parents are bringing Ana by tonight, so Yay…_

_Hope you're feeling super good._

_Xoxo_

_-Ari_

**Dream catch me, yea  
Dream catch me when I fall  
Or else I won't come back at all**

****

See you as a mountain  
A fountain of God  
See you as as a descant soul  
In the setting sun  
You as the sound  
As the just as silent as none

I'm yours

* * *

**A/N: Yay, I could never kill Callie it would be too depressing...**

**I hope you guys liked this chapter, once again I was freaked that this was too cheesy with AZ and Callie at the beginning.**

**Review, please? Pretty please?**

**P.s. Happy Valentines Day**


	13. Familiar Faces

**A/N: Thank you guys for all of the reviews last chapter, I love your feedback :D**

**I would just like to say, I apologize in advance for the end of this chapter. Don't hate me please :D**

**Lyrics are from Fireflight, a song called 'Wrapped In Your Arms'**

**Pictures of You: Chapter Thirteen**

**

* * *

**

**Is this the whole picture**

**Or is it just the start?**

Callie rested back against the pillows as she waited impatiently for the sound of Arizona's Heelies skidding across the floor to reach her ears, signaling the arrival of her girlfriend. The blonde had reluctantly left that morning to go on rounds, apparently the chief hadn't granted Arizona time off because Callie was a patient at the hospital to technically Arizona could visit whenever she had free time. Unfortunately surgeons don't have very much free time, but Arizona had secured mercifully short shift so she was done right after lunch.

There. The sound of wheels gliding across tile floors signaled the arrival of a certain blonde and Arizona dragged the toe of her Heeley against the floor to slow herself down as she reached the door to Calliope's room.

"Hey!" A smile formed on Callie's lips as Arizona's blonde head appeared through the doorway. "How are you feeling?" Arizona asked as she tried to discreetly check the stats on the monitors without alerting Callie.

"Totally fine, Derek came by while you were on rounds." The blonde nodded and sat tentatively on the corner of Callie's bed. Careful not to jostle her girlfriend's leg, Arizona cast a furtive glance around the hospital room, searching for Bailey who would probably take away her visiting hours if she caught Arizona on Callie's bed again.

"Mmm… What did he say?" Arizona asked curiously as she slowly eased herself down onto the bed, wrapping an arm around her girlfriend's waist. She had deemed the room, Bailey-free.

"Not much," Callie dropped a light kiss on top of Arizona's blonde curls. "He did tell me that tomorrow night I could try moving my leg."

"Super," Arizona replied however her tone remained slightly guarded, as did Callie's expression. No one else except for possibly Mark would notice, but Arizona saw the flicker of nervousness in the depths of Callie's eyes. The edge of her mouth had hardened, putting a dent in her otherwise comforting smile. "Are you nervous?"

"Maybe," the corner of Callie's mouth quirked up in an embarrassed grin. "I mean, what if it doesn't work…"

"It doesn't matter Calliope…" She reached up and brushed a stray hair away from Callie's face, letting her fingers trance a line of comfort down her girlfriend's cheek. "Whether you can move your foot or not, we'll still be okay."

"I know, at least I think I do anyway…" Callie nestled her head against Arizona's neck, burying her head in the mass of coconut-smelling blonde curls. "I want to have a future, you know the whole nine yards. The house with the huge backyard, the little blonde children with dimples and beautiful blue eyes." Arizona nodded understandingly as a blush flooded Callie's cheeks. "But if I can't walk… It has to work Arizona, the surgery, it has to…" An exasperated sigh escaped Callie's lips and she looked up at the ceiling, trying to contain the onset of frightened sobs she felt building in her chest.

Tears pooled in the corner of the blue eyes now peering up at her and one trailed a long line down Arizona's cheek. "I promise you, everything is going to be fine whatever happens." Snuggling down, Arizona wrapped her arms more firmly around Callie's waist and pillowed her head against Callie's chest. Callie absently toyed with the blonde curls splayed across her chest as she let her eyes drift over the familiar face nestled against her.

"So…" Callie murmured, searching for a less terrifying topic of conversation. "My parents are bringing Ana by tonight?"

Arizona brightened visibly, "yep, around four o'clock… Is that okay?"

"Totally," Callie felt her lips twitch up into a smile. "I've missed that kid… Besides you know, that one day I haven't seen her in more than two years…"

**And I'm here to stay**

**Nothing can separate us**

**And I know, I'm ok**

**You cradle me gently**

**Wrapped in your arms.... I'm home**

**

* * *

**

"Arizona!" A pair of terrified blue eyes peered over the edge of the blanket. In a flash, blonde curls disappeared as the PEDs surgeon pulled the hospital comforter up over her head. Arizona was playing a _very _childish game of hide-and-seek, except against Bailey it didn't have quite the same effect as it did with her patients…

"Shh!" The blonde whispered from under the blankets and Callie giggled uncharacteristically. "Maybe she won't notice…" Standing in the doorway, Bailey's facial expression didn't convey much amusement and her arms were crossed menacingly across her chest.

"Get. Off. The. Bed!" Bailey eyed the mass of blankets, a mass that Callie quickly wrapped an arm protectively around. "I will get your visiting hours down to zero in a few seconds if you don't get your butt out of the bed right now!"

"But Bailey-" Callie tried to interrupt on Arizona's behalf but the general surgeon just glared witheringly at the Arizona shaped mass of blankets next to Callie.

"Nah-uh!" Bailey's stern tone prompted Arizona's face to appear next to Callie's on the bed. "It's only a few more days Arizona!" Arizona's blue eyes found Callie's and they shared a conspiratorial smile before Arizona sighed in annoyance. Reluctantly Arizona untangled herself from the mountain of blankets and returned to her chair by Callie's bedside, shooting Bailey a very hurt look.

"That's not going to work on me Robbins, save the puppy dog eyes for the dying children…" Bailey crossed the room and began checking the stats on the monitors and recording them on Callie's chart. "So, Dr. Shepherd tells me you will be able to test out your leg tomorrow night…"

"Yeah," Callie was about to elaborate when a familiar face, framed by wavy black hair peeked around the doorframe.

"Callie!" A small girl, who Arizona recognized as Ana bounded into the room and jumped up onto Callie's bed.

"Hey Ana," shifting her weight Callie sat up against the pillows and smiled down at her niece who was bouncing up and down on the bed. "How have you been?" Her tone was cautious since Ana had just lost her mother but the little girl seemed unfazed.

"Good!" Ana answered and Arizona smirked when she noticed Bailey was eyeing the little girl with a slightly murderous expression. Arizona had merely slept on the bed. She was careful but Ana was bouncing up and down with child-like abandon.

"Hey Bailey, how come Ana gets to be up on the bed and not me-"

"Robbins," Bailey warned and Arizona leaned back with a teasing smile, followed by a very effective pout.

"It's not fair-" Arizona whined. She might be slightly vindictive, after all Bailey had kicked her out of the bed twice and sleeping when she wasn't wrapped snugly in Callie's arms was very difficult.

"She's a child," Bailey muttered under her breath. "I can't yell at her, plus if she anything like Torres she would just yell at me back…"

Arizona laughed softly and turned her gaze back to Callie and her niece who were now talking excitedly, half of their words sounding like very fluent Spanish.

"Where are Grandma and Grandma?" Callie asked the little girl and Ana's face turned serious.

"I heard them say something about going to see Mommy. They said she was somewhere down in the morgue…" Callie stiffened and Arizona heart sank in her chest as she saw the fear and pain swimming in Callie's warm brown eyes.

"They told you that? They told you they were going to go see Aria?" Callie asked warily.

"No," Ana bit her lip. "I don't think I was supposed to hear. But Callie," Ana's voice was plaintive and slightly confused. "I don't get it, some doctor came in and told me mama wasn't coming back, but now grandpa said he had to go down and see her…"

Callie looked desperately at Arizona… The blue eyes that normally held the answers to every question and the patience to answer a thousand more were fixated on the pair of them in horror.

**I'm seeing so much clearer**

**Looking through your eyes**

**I could never find a safer place**

**Even if I tried**

"Ana-" Callie started but her niece cut her off.

"Can we go see her Callie? I don't understand why she left me if she was still here in the hospital…"

* * *

Miles away at Seattle Presbyterian, Erica Hahn was eating lunch. She sat alone in the crowded cafeteria, preferring to bury her nose in the latest issue of Cardiothoracic Monthly than engage in any kind of social activity with her colleges. As she took a bite of her apple and let her gaze travel slowly around the room a nervous intern appeared at the table.

"Yes?" Erica asked roughly as she stared threateningly up at the frightened intern. Erica Hahn knew she was intimidating; especially to new interns who practically idolized surgeons as experienced as she was. She _might _have taken advantage of that a few times.

"Uh, Dr. Kelper asked me to give you these lists." In her hand the young woman held a packet of papers and handed them to Erica who scanned them quickly.

"And these are…" She asked pointedly as the intern had simply stood their mute.

"Oh! Sorry. These are the lists from the hotel fire a week ago. It's a complete list of patients from all of the hospitals. Every attending is checking them over, just making sure the surgeries and treatments all seem to be in the right order…"

"Okay…" Erica hefted the stack of papers in her hand, there must be at least thirty papers in here. "Why do _I_ need these?"

"You're supposed to just look over the names to make sure everything seems right… I'm not uh sure why.. I think you're mainly supposed to look at the cardiac cases though…"

"You don't say," she replied mocking and the intern blushed in embarrassment before dashing out of the cafeteria.

Snapping open the plastic container that held her salad, Erica flipped open the packet to the first page. Scanning the list of names she came across no cardio cases that were of much interest to her to she kept going.

Her eyes ran down the page, blurring slightly as she read quickly in her boredom. Suddenly she drew in a quick breath and brought the paper closer to her face. That couldn't be right.

Calliope Torres, crush injury, Seattle Grace Hospital.

Was this some sick joke?

Grabbing her salad Erica gathered the papers into her arms and tossed the remainder of her lunch into the trash. As she passed the nurses desk Erica stopped.

"Hey!" The nurse turned to face her with an irritated look on her face.

"Can I help you Dr. Hahn?" She asked curtly.

"Cancel all of my surgeries for the day please. I have to go check something."

**But I've begun to grow**

**And when you tell me just to rest**

**I'm finally letting go**

**I let go**

**

* * *

**

**A/N: Okay so as I said before I'm sorry, for the weird cliffhangers. Once again I think I may be sleep deprived... It's super late so I'm going to edit this chapter in the morning.**

**The next chapter for Tidal Wave will be up by Sunday night...**

**Reviews are :D :D :D**


	14. You Shouldn't Have to Remember

**A/N: So sorry this took kind of a long time but here it is :D**

**I love everyone who reviewed last chapter, all of you are super awesome. So this is chapter fourteen, and, Yay thanks for reading so many chapters!**

**This chapter took a while to write, Ana's character especially was hard... But I hope you guys enjoy =D**

* * *

**Pictures of You**

**Chapter Fourteen**

The thing is, people leave you. They die, they walk away or you simply drift apart. But it happens, it's natural. That's just the way life goes. It takes awhile but you adjust to the absence. You push them into the far recesses of your mind where they appear as fleeting images that you quickly stifle. You forgive; you try to forget. And then sometimes…

Sometimes they come running back.

They come running back when you _really _don't want them to.

* * *

_"Ana-" Callie started but her niece cut her off._

_"Can we go see her Callie? I don't understand why she left me if she was still here in the hospital…"_

Bailey made a quick exit, casting a pitying glance Callie's way, but Arizona watched the scene unfold before her as heart clenched painfully in her chest. The joy Callie had felt when her niece came bounding through the door had disappeared from her face as she gazed in terrified disbelief at the little girl sitting in front of her.

"Ana…" Callie's voice trailed off as she looked to Arizona for support. The blonde could see the fear etched across Callie's face and the pain swimming in her eyes but as Arizona gazed between Callie and her niece she couldn't find the comforting, consoling words they both needed.

Arizona was used to delivering bad news, it was one of the downsides of her career choice. With children it was always harder. Some days she had to walk into the waiting room and tell anxious parents that their child, their entire world, hadn't make it off of her OR table. In those situations she knew what to say, she was practiced and professional in front of the parents, preferring to let her own emotions surface when she was alone, or with Callie. Arizona knew that pain all too well. That was the one thing she hated about her job. Every piece of bad news she had to deliver made her remember. A few fleeting memories in the back of her mind, kept carefully locked away, it had been years ago. But every parent, every dead child Arizona saw, wrenched the memories back into full focus. That was why she was so invested; she had felt that pain and if she could prevent it, she would fight like hell to do so.

But how to do the reverse? Arizona was used to explaining death to parents, not children.

Arizona merely shook her head, tears pricking the corners of her blue eyes as Callie turned away. As much as Arizona wanted to help, this was something Callie had to do for her niece.

"Ana, honey…" Callie reached up and brushed a few stray hairs that had been obscuring Ana's dark brown eyes, but the little girl shifted away, fixing Callie with a nervous stare.

"Tell me, someone needs to tell me where she is!" Ana demanded, although Arizona could tell the little girl knew where her mother was, Ana couldn't accept it. She shouldn't have to either. "I just want to see my mom."

"She… Aria died…" Callie managed to murmur as she looked tentatively into Ana's face. "I'm so sorry Ana, but in the fire she… It was too much, with all of the smoke…" Her voice cracked and Callie's gaze dropped to the bed sheets as Ana's mouth dropped open.

"But she's downstairs, she… Callie I heard them say it! Grandma and Grandpa said she was downstairs and they were going to go see her!" Ana furiously rubbed her eyes and brushed away the few tears that had spilled over onto her cheeks.

"She didn't make it out of the hotel Ana," Callie choked as tears pooled in the corners of her eyes and a shuddering sigh escaped her lips. "She's gone."

"She's not." Ana insisted. "I heard her. When we were in the hotel and it was pitch dark inside I could hear her screaming. She was yelling out my name, so were you. Callie, you were calling out for both of us and I tried to move to find mommy but I couldn't. I heard her though! She was alive…"

"Ana, after that she breathed in too much smoke and she…. She died, Ana I'm so sorry but…I…"

"You should have helped her, we all ran into that room together. Why didn't you help her?" Ana asked tearfully as she moved away from Callie.

Callie recoiled, pain flashing visibly through her eyes. She looked horrified before Arizona was shocked to see a grim expression of guilt settle on her face.

No. Callie couldn't possibly believe that…

Arizona almost said something. She wanted to defend Callie somehow because she knew the brunette well enough to know she would be blaming herself after Ana's remark.

"I tried but…"

"You're lying," Ana yelled, her fear making her rash. "I hate you and you're lying to me!" Ana spat as she quickly got off the bed and moved toward the door.

"Ana," Callie cried desperately. "I'm not lying to you… I would never lie to you, especially not about something like this!"

"I'm going to find my mom," Ana's long black hair disappeared in a flash out of the hospital room and Arizona stood up, moving to run after her.

Callie looked up at Arizona desperately seeking some contradiction. It was survivor's guilt. She knew she couldn't have done anything, her position in the hospital bed was proof enough, but Ana's blame had set waves of doubt rushing through Callie's mind. Arizona knew her well enough to see this and she cast one last worried look at the door before sitting down on the bed next to Callie.

"Calliope," Arizona murmured comfortingly, brushing her hand across her girlfriend's cheek. "I'm so sorry… But you can't blame yourself for this…" Her voice trailed off as Callie's brown eyes found hers and held them.

"I should've tried harder. Maybe I could have done something, then Ana wouldn't have to hear this…"

Arizona reached up and cupped Callie's cheek. "Don't blame yourself for a second," Arizona replied firmly. "You survived, I am so unbelievably thankful for that but you barely made it Calliope." Arizona gulped, steadying herself before speaking again. "You almost died on me, twice. You were trapped until the firemen found you and there was nothing… Nothing you could have done for Aria."

Callie nodded as tears traced delicate rivulets down her face. Gratitude was clear in her eyes but as she was about to speak, Arizona continued.

"Ana, she is hurt… She's scared; she didn't mean what she said. I promise you Callie, she just needs some time to understand what's happened."

"I know. She reminds me of myself in that respect… Always running off."

"When then it's good she has an awesome Aunt to help her," Arizona answered a small smile gracing her lips before she dropped a kiss on Callie's forehead. "I'm going to go look for her, okay?"

"Okay," Callie squeezed Arizona's hand and snuggled slightly closer against her before the blonde got up and moved toward the door.

"Thank you," Callie blurted. "You know, for everything…" She couldn't really put into words the gratitude and love she felt for Arizona but the blonde understood enough from the look in Callie's brown eyes.

"I love you too. Now, try to get some rest," Arizona said with the ghost of a teasing smile. "I'll bring Ana back as soon as I find her."

* * *

"Ana!" Arizona called as she peeked her head around the corner into a new hallway. She had decided to start her search on the lowest floor because Arizona had assumed Ana would try to find the morgue. Of course Ana had no idea what the morgue was, she had just heard someone tell her that's where her mother was. Arizona hoped to find her before she stumbled upon the morgue. Ana wouldn't be able to get past the door, but through the glass window, the morgue held things no child should see.

"Ana are you there?" No answer echoed through the hallway but as Arizona turned to leave she thought she saw an unmistakable mess of black hair disappear around corner into the next hallway.

It was times like these when Arizona _really _appreciated whoever had invented Heeley's. Kicking up her heel, Arizona skated smoothly down the hall, dragging her toe to slow herself down as she rounded the corner.

Ana spun around as Arizona slowed to a stop. Tears were running freely down her cheeks and Arizona walked foreword until she knelt before the little girl. It struck her how much Ana looked like Callie. They had the same expressive brown eyes and she could see pain obscured by a swarm of tears flickering in her eyes.

"I c-can't find h-her…" Ana mumbled as her fingers twisted at the hem of her T-shirt.

"I know honey," Arizona replied, placing a comforting hand on Ana's shoulder. Ana stiffened at first but for a moment she held Arizona's gaze and her shoulders slowly relaxed as her gaze dropped to the floor.

"C-Callie wasn't lying was she?"

"No… Ana she wasn't lying…" Ana's lip trembled and she raised her eyes briefly before focusing on her shoes again.

"But mommy was alive, I could hear her next to me…" Ana said in one last attempt to convince herself rather than Arizona. "It was dark," Ana recollected and Arizona paled. "The flames weren't that close when we got into the room, they were in the distance."

"You don't have to-"

"When we got into the room, people were running around and everyone was screaming. Huge rocks started to fall, I think it was part of the ceiling or something but I felt Callie pull me out of the way… Everything got really quiet. I could hear Callie yelling and other people too but I couldn't feel anyone…"

Ana paused. Her eyes had acquired a faraway look that wasn't often seen in the eyes of someone so young. They weren't supposed to have to remember tragedies like this. They were supposed to remember swings, playgrounds and their first sleepover at a friend's house…

"It was so quiet… But I could hear her. I think… I think my mom was close…" At this admission Ana collapsed against Arizona's shoulder, burying her face in Arizona's hair and letting sobs overwhelm her. The blonde slowly eased herself down against the wall and cradled the fragile body…

"It's okay, it's okay," Arizona murmured over and over as she rubbed her hands up and down Ana's back.

It took a while. How long, Arizona wasn't sure it could have been minutes or hours but Ana's sobs slowly ceased. She sniffled against Arizona shoulder and her arms clutched tightly around Arizona's neck.

"I miss my mom," Ana mumbled into the fabric of Arizona's lab coat.

"I know sweetie…" Arizona voice trailed off before she continued. "She loved you. More than anything else in her world…"

"I don't want to live with anyone else," Ana replied as she twisted her head to look up at Arizona.

"It's hard at first, but your grandparents will take good care of you. After a bit it gets better, not completely but it gets better."

"How do you know?"

Arizona hesitated but as she looked down at the hurt brown eyes she forced her own tears back.

"You know, I used to have a brother…" Ana shook her head, gazing innocently up at Arizona. "His name was Dakota, and he died eight years ago… At first I was completely confused and a little scared but I know he not really gone. Just like your mom is really gone." At Ana's confused look, Arizona elaborated. "You remember her. She loved you and you loved her. So keep her here…" Arizona gestured to the area where her heart was beating out a steady pulse. "In your heart. That way she's never really gone."

"Okay," Ana's voice came out barely more than a whisper but she tucked one of her hands close to her heart and closed her eyes for an instant.

"You want to go and see Callie now?" Arizona asked tentatively, brushing hair out of Ana's face.

"She's not… mad at me is she?" A flicker of fear crossed Ana's face but Arizona was quick to reassure her.

"Not at all. She just wants to see you, and to make sure you're okay…"

"I didn't mean that stuff I told her…"

"I know, and Callie knows it too." Arizona stood up and held out her hand. Ana reached you and grabbed Arizona's hand and let the blonde lead her back up to Callie's hospital room.

* * *

Callie was waiting anxiously in her hospital bed, flicking through a discarded magazine but not really reading anything. He gaze flicked to the hallway every few seconds, looking for either Arizona or Ana, hopefully both.

However, Callie didn't notice a lean blonde standing just out of sight in the hallway…

Steeling herself, Erica took a deep breath and knocked on the door to Callie's hospital room. This was not the way she pictured their reunion. She hadn't actually pictured a reunion before but she was sure Callie wouldn't have been gravely injured if she had. Callie jerked up, peering out the door expecting to see Arizona and Ana. As the door opened, she sucked in a sharp breath.

"Erica…"

"Hey Cal…"

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**A/N: Sooo, I'm super busy this weekend so I might not update Tidal Wave until Monday or Tuesday night... I'm not really sure.**

**Please, please, please review! Suggestions/Comments/Critiques, anything :D**

**Also, I'm pretty sure I'm ending this story soon. Not sure when, but tell me what you guys think. :)**


	15. That's the Difference Between You and Me

**A/N: First, a shout out to Color in a Black-White World, and SGAFirenity if you haven't read their fics, go… Read them now :D I normally don't really like fics where it's Callie and Arizona plus children, but I love theirs and basically, they inspired me to keep Ana around, so yay :) Seriously though, if you haven't read their fics READ THEM.**

**Also, a huge thanks to everyone who reviewed, reviews make me smile :D. A lot happens in this chapter (sort of) because I needed to have it this way for next chapter… So bear with me…**

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**Pictures of You**

**Chapter Fifteen**

"Callie…" Erica's words died in her throat as she surveyed the startled brunette before her. Callie's leg was obviously injured. How seriously, Erica couldn't tell but the mass of bandages wrapped around the appendage led her to believe it the damage was extensive. Other than that, Callie looked fine. Her chin still held the mark of a fading bruise and a pattern of scratches covered her arms, but nothing drastic. Erica allowed a sigh of relief escape from her lips before Callie's voice echoed in her ears, familiar, but angry.

"What are you doing here Erica?" Callie's eyes burned holes into her face and Erica uncharacteristically flinched away. She had never imagined that Callie would look at her that way. Hatred was clear in those deep brown eyes and Erica knew she had caused it. That knowledge sent unexpected pangs of guilt through her chest but she suppressed them, avoiding Callie's gaze.

"I saw your name on a list of patients from the hotel fire," Erica admitted, crossing her arms defensively across her chest. "I came to see if you were okay…"

"I sent you texts, I called you… I must have left you a hundred voicemails since you left me in the parking lot but I haven't heard your voice in almost a year Erica…" Callie mused, anger lacing her tone, but it remained thoughtful.

"I know, and I'm sorry-" The blonde tried but Callie silenced her.

"After all of the messages I left you…. you come running back now? So all I had to do was get gravely injured, and great, Erica appears!" Callie said sarcastically, and Erica retreated her hand resting on the handle of the door as Callie's word cut through her.

"I'm not here to dig up the past Callie," Erica replied firmly, still clutching the door handle to ensure herself an escape route.

"You'd better be…" Callie ran a hand through her black curls before turning her accusatory gaze back toward Erica. "I guess you must have gotten closure, when you walked away from me, that was it for you. But… I never found any closure… I waited for you to come back. For months every time the phone rang I thought, just maybe, I would hear your voice on the other end of the line. So no, you don't get to walk away from me again, not without explaining yourself…"

"Callie…"

"You owe me at least that…" This remark finally brought back the Erica that had worked at Seattle Grace almost a year ago. She was cold, detached, numb… She had been that way for the past year and Callie's words sliced through her as effectively as her scalpel.

"I don't owe you anything Callie… I'm sorry for leaving the way I did, and I've regretted my choice everyday since then, but I'm not going to apologize… The blame rests on both of us for that one…" The familiar Hahn arrogance had once again settled over her expression and instead of remorse, a mixture of guilt and fury swirled in her stomach.

"The blame…" Callie replied coldly, her words devoid of any remotely cheerful emotion. "The blame… That's your problem Erica; you always want to place blame. Never work through the problems; never talk about them. Relationships shouldn't be about dividing up your life; they're about sharing it… It took me a while to understand that after you left, but I met someone who showed me that…" Callie didn't want to fight, she had stashed the hurt she still felt over Erica's departure deep down inside of herself and ignored it. But seeing her ex standing a mere few feet away from her flooded her body with every emotion related to that day she had hidden away.

She didn't want Erica, not that way. She was completely sure in her heart that she was in love with Arizona but as much as she wanted to bury this particular part of her past it still hurt not know why…

"Met someone?" Erica scoffed as she felt anger boiling inside of her. This was escalating, all the emotions, the hurt, the pain, the betrayal both women felt was spilling out. It was more of an argument than reconciliation. "Is that how you describe your and Mark's twisted friendship?"

"Mark?" Callie's eyes widened momentarily in surprise. "That was over a long time ago… We were never even together…"

"Then who?" Erica asked, fighting the curiosity that was welling in her chest. "I supposed you moved on, to who? Alex Karev maybe?"

Behind her, the door swung open and Arizona appeared, holding Ana's hand as she coaxed the little girl into the room. Erica moved away from the door as she scrutinized the two visitors. One was obviously related to Callie, she had the same big brown eyes and long dark curls, but the doctor didn't look familiar at all. However, whoever they were, they pulled Callie's attention completely away from Erica.

"Callie…" Ana mumbled uncertainly as she stood in the doorway, clutching Arizona's hand tightly. She turned her gaze upwards until she met Arizona's blue eyes.

Arizona quickly knelt down next to Ana, "I promise Ana, Callie's not mad at you… She loves you… and she knows you didn't mean it…" She brushed a few curls behind Ana's ear and gestured toward Callie.

"I'm really sorry Callie," Ana murmured as she relinquished her grip on Arizona's hand and moved toward the bed. "I didn't mean what I said… I…" A few tears slipped down Ana's cheeks as she looked up at her aunt.

"I know honey," Callie sat up against the covers and Ana edged closer, still tentative. Quickly, Ana clambered up onto the bed and allowed Callie to pull her into a hug. A flood of sobs once again engulfed Ana's small body but she nestled herself against Callie's neck and allowed the feeling of her aunt's arms to drain some of the pain away. "I'm sorry too," Callie murmured into Ana's hair as she placed a light kiss on top of her niece's messy curls.

Arizona stood in the doorway, barley containing her own tears as she watched Callie comfort her niece. It was then that she noticed the tall, blonde visitor hovering uncertainly in the corner. Erica knew she should leave but she didn't want to move, or to do anything that would draw attention to herself. She guessed that some family tragedy had occurred but whatever had happened now was neither the time nor place to ask about it.

"I'll come back," Erica voice broke through the peacefulness of the moment like fingernails scratching across a chalkboard. Callie looked angry while Arizona looked curious but the brunette gave Erica a small nod.

"Tomorrow, you can come back tomorrow night…" Erica nodded, flashing a pitying glance at the small form still nestled in Callie's arms as she departed.

Arizona, slightly confused at this exchange decided to give Callie and her niece some alone time before Callie's parents arrived. She moved towards the bed, placed a light kiss on Callie's forehead and rubbed a hand comfortingly up and down Ana's back a few times before promising to come back in an hour or two.

"I'll come back soon," Arizona murmured as she left, making her way over to the desk at the general surgery floor. There, leaning against the desk flirting with the nurse on-call she found Mark. As she approached he straightened up and turned his worried gaze toward her.

"How's Callie?" He asked, his voice containing a hint of urgency that Arizona couldn't place.

"She's fine, I mean…" Arizona grabbed a few charts off of the desk. "Derek says that tomorrow she can start moving her leg…"

"Not that… She's bound to be pretty upset…"

"About Ana? No, she's fine, they're in there together…" Arizona replied, her brow furrowing as Mark started to look perplexed.

"You don't know, do you?" Mark looked surprised as comprehension slowly spread across his face.

"Know what, Mark?"

"That woman in Callie's room, that was Erica Hahn…"

* * *

"Calliope," Sofia Torres murmured from the doorway, her heart melting at the sight of her daughter and granddaughter curled up together on the bed. Callie shifted on the bed; Ana had fallen asleep next to her even though it was only around three in the afternoon.

"Mama," Callie brightened. "Ana told me where you were this morning… I'm surprised she found her way up here…" She added her voice trailing off as her mother's face twisted in pain.

"She insisted she knew the way to your room all by herself, but a nurse took her up… Where's Arizona?" Sofia asked, clearly steering the subject away from her trip to the morgue. That had been painful enough. Her hurt was mirrored on Callie's expression and against the pillows Callie instinctively rubbed a comforting hand up and down Ana's arm.

"She went out about an hour ago, she should be back soon…" Callie explained, looking around the room. "Is Papí coming?"

Her mother face tightened but she forced a smile across her expression. "He'll be hear in a few minutes, something came up… Actually it's something I need to talk to you about Calliope."

"Okay…" Callie looked expectantly upwards. It was easy to see that her mother was struggling to find the right words to say whatever was on her mind.

"It seems that your sister… Aria made arrangements for Ana in case she…" Callie's eyes widened but she nodded.

"I thought she was going to stay with you and Papí…" She replied, her gaze trailing over Ana's small face, which already looked so much like Aria's.

"We thought so too, but Calliope… Aria named you Ana's legal guardian…" Callie's mouth dropped open and Sofia Torres rushed to continue. "Obviously you don't have too, I mean… Calliope you probably don't have time for a child right now and you're still recovering and…"

"Hold on," Callie took a deep breath… "I just… I need to think…" Sofia Torres quieted, observing her daughter with her hands tightly clasped in front of her. She was afraid Callie would see her reluctance to let Ana stay with her was because of her relationship with Arizona. A few days ago she definitely would have had a problem with that, but Aria had known Callie was gay when she signed those forms. From what Ms. Torres had seen of Arizona she was good for Callie and if Aria had made that choice… Who was she to challenge it?

"Maybe," she finished, exhaling and closing her eyes for a moment. "I don't know… I need to talk to Arizona about this Mama, and if it turns out the surgery didn't work then I think Ana should stay with you…"

"I understand," Sofia ached at the confused and fearful look that now graced Callie's expression but she thought her daughter was right.

"It's not that I don't want to," Callie assured her mother. "Before I decide anything I need to talk to Arizona… But what kind of home would Ana have if I couldn't walk? No," Callie shook her head. "If that happens, if the surgery failed you'll let her live with you?"

"Of course, we all need to talk but Arizona should know…" Callie nodded gratefully and turned her eyes back down to Ana's sleeping form. "When will you know? About your leg?" Ms. Torres looked almost fearfully at the huge mass of bandages on her daughter's leg; she hadn't thought the damage was this bad.

"Tomorrow," Callie said softly… "It will be a while until it's recovered but I can start trying to move it tomorrow…"

"Where is Arizona anyway?" She muttered under her breath… Callie was keeping a thousand questions and emotions pent up inside of her until she could talk to Arizona. She always knew exactly the right thing to say, Arizona would have some clarity to offer her… Callie was afraid to show how truly scared she actually was in front of her mother, but with Arizona, Callie knew she would be able to help. Just a glance from Arizona could calm her down, but she was afraid of how Arizona would react when she told the blonde that Ana might be coming to live with them.

* * *

"Dr. Hahn!" Arizona called as she saw the tall blonde women disappearing down the hallway. Abruptly Erica came to a halt and turned, expecting to see some resident she used to work with at Seattle Grace. No, instead, walking closer to her with an absurdly perky smile on her face was the blonde doctor who had been in Callie's room.

"Yes?" She replied irritably. She had hoped to just get out of the hospital for a while before going back to see Callie. Seeing Callie again hadn't been what she had expected, she hadn't imagined that Callie had been hurt that badly. Either way she was in no mood to chat with other surgeons or do a consult.

"Sorry, I was wondering if I could talk to you…" Something had darkened in the blonde's blue eyes, but Erica brushed off the slight change in expression.

"I was just leaving-" Erica started to say but Arizona waved a hand in the air.

"It'll only take a few minutes… I promise." There it was again, Erica thought, that dimpled smile.

"Okay," Erica answered warily and Arizona looked up and down the hallway to make sure they were both alone.

"You were here to see Calliope earlier," Arizona said. It was more of a statement than a question but Erica paled. She hadn't expected this from the short blonde surgeon. She had expected a consult or something more… medical.

"I don't see how that's any of your business-" Erica stuttered in her surprise before regaining her composure. "I mean-"

"If you're here to stir up trouble then yes, it's exactly my business…" The blonde replied defiantly, a ghost of her smile still present. She didn't look particularly nervous about the fact that a world-famous surgeon was standing in front of her, much less one who was known for being quite the bitch.

"What are you her baby sitter or something?" Erica scoffed and something dangerous flashed in Arizona's eyes.

"No," she replied calmly. "I'm the woman who found Calliope after you left her in the parking lot almost a year ago… You have no idea what you did to her, do you?" Arizona asked thinly, her arms crossed across her chest as she surveyed Erica Hahn.

"You're Callie's girlfriend-"

"I'll take that as a no…"

"What have I ever done to you Dr. Robbins…" Erica read the name stitched into Arizona's coat. "You don't know me; you've never met me before… Sure, I'm Callie's ex but that doesn't give you the right to make judgments…"

"Okay," Arizona replied her tone perilously quiet. "Let me explain to you how I can _absolutely_ make judgments about you. I know you left Callie in that parking lot because you guys had an argument over Izzie Stevens and a heart patient. I know you weren't willing to listen to anyone else's opinion besides your own, so you left…"

"You don't know the half of what went on in the hospital that day!"

"It doesn't matter what went on," Arizona exclaimed. "All that matters is how you dealt with what happened… Your arrogance almost destroyed her and you didn't even care to call or check up on her… Until now, until she almost died!" Arizona paused, and looked unwaveringly up at Erica. "I met Calliope in a bar nine months ago. She was utterly defeated, and I assume you know Callie well enough to know that she _never _accepts defeat. But with you she did…"

Erica nodded, dumbfounded by the anger filling those blue eyes. Arizona continued, her voice rising.

"But the more she talked to me, opened up to me, the more I grew to dislike you. I don't understand how you could leave her, without a second thought… Calliope and I made it, past the horrible scars you left on her… She changed, and I like to think that I helped a little; she wasn't broken anymore. Callie doesn't run from her problems anymore and if she does I chase her… But you didn't, you just ran the opposite direction…" Arizona continued in exasperation. "As far as I'm concerned, you have no right to just waltz back into her life as you please; not after all the pain you've caused."

"You think I left without a second thought? I listened to all of her messages and I read all of the texts she sent me… She wasn't ready, I knew I was gay… But Callie… she slept with Mark for crying out loud!" Arizona listened to Erica try to validate her actions. Through her eyes all she saw was someone who missed their chance. Someone who had wrecked their chances past the point of no return and was regretting doing so.

"I thought she wasn't ready when I met her," Arizona admitted with a small smile as she remembered trying to convince Callie she wasn't ready for a relationship. "It's not easy, just because you knew you were gay doesn't mean she did… She was scared and you were too impatient to wait for her, that's what it comes down to Erica. You were too wrapped in your own problems to see that she just needed time… What I do know, is that anyone who hurts her the way you did doesn't deserve a second chance."

"Dr. Robbins I-"

"I don't want to hear you justify what you did to her. From what we've been through in the past months because of you, nothing you can tell me will change my opinion… You left her, you ignored her and frankly I can't understand how someone could do that, especially not to Calliope. I'm in love with her and at least I think you used to be, but I can't imagine cutting her out of my life. When I think of just walking away from her, it's like someone has ripped the oxygen from my lungs… She has my heart and no matter what she does, I can promise you I won't run away. I might get angry, but the difference between you and me, is that I'll stay. As long as she wants me I'm going to be there for her…" Arizona finished firmly looking Erica straight in the eyes. "I know she said you could visit, and I would ask you to just leave... but if you left again, I know that would hurt her… So, if you're here to cause trouble, just think about what you did to Calliope the last time and if you care anything for her, don't…"

"I…" Erica began, but Arizona merely shook her head; she had said all she was going to say.

"I'm glad we talked," Arizona flashed Erica a dimpled smile and straightened her lab coat. Brushing a few curls behind her ear, Arizona raised the toe of her Heeley and skated off down the hall.

"_You're never gonna be alone from this moment on  
If you ever feel like letting go,  
I won't let you fall You're never gonna be alone,  
I'll hold you 'til the hurt is gone _

_And now, as long as I can,  
I'm holding on with both hands '  
Cause forever I believe   
That there's nothing I could need but you   
So if I haven't yet, I've gotta let you know"_

_-Nickelback: Never Gonna Be Alone_

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**A/N: Next chapter is Callie finding out if the surgery worked, Erica visiting again, and Arizona and Callie talking about Ana... I hope you guys liked this chapter, I was a bit unsure about the whole Arizona and Erica scene but I sort of liked the way it turned out.**

**I'll try to post chapter nine of Tidal Wave soon, I don't know when because I'm absurdly busy this weekend but soon :D**

**Please, please, please with a cherry on top, review :)**


	16. Uncle Mark

**A/N: Here ya go chapter sixteen :D**

**I'm glad you guys liked last chapter, and I loved getting all of your reviews.**

**I considered letting 6X17 change the way I wanted this story to go, with Arizona not wanting kids but... I decided not to.**

**Hope you guys enjoy!**

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**Pictures of You**

**Chapter Sixteen**

A faint smile appeared on Arizona's lips as she leaned against the doorframe in her girlfriend's hospital room. Callie's eyes were narrowed and she sat straight up on the bed, lines of concentration creasing her forehead. Ana was sitting in front of Callie, her aunt's posture mirrored in miniature in her body. After a few moments, Callie triumphantly threw down the cards she was holding.

"Ha! I win!" Callie declared with childish enthusiasm. Arizona shook her head in amusement and continued to watch her grown girlfriend get competitive with her niece, her five year old niece.

"You cheated!" Ana accused, carefully scrutinizing Callie's winning hand of cards and comparing them to her own. "I was ahead!"

"You're just jealous kiddo," Callie shuffled the cards up into her hand, "Again?" She asked, holding up the deck in her hand and glancing questioningly at Ana.

"Yeah!" Ana, readied herself for another intense game of Go Fish but someone appeared at the door behind Arizona.

"Hey Torres," Mark called jovially as he walked into the room and sat down in one of the chairs by the window. "Hey mini Torres," he added in Ana's direction.

"Hey, Mark" Callie replied, looking up from the deck of card. "Arizona," she said in surprise, a delighted grin forming on her face. "I didn't see you. How long have you been standing there?"

"Uncle Mark!" Ana cried and jumped off the bed, bounding over to the plastic surgeon and jumping into his lap. If Mark was surprised by her reaction he didn't show it, but Arizona's eyes widened and Callie simply looked amused.

"Hey mini Torres, you've gotten taller," he remarked. Arizona hadn't really thought of Mark as a kid-person, but he was fine with Ana, in fact he actually looked kind of happy. "It's been what, like twenty years since I've seen you?"

"Only two" Ana corrected. "You have grey hair now, that means you're old…" Ana giggled as she pointed to the graying hair near his temple.

"Hey!" Mark exclaimed, faking anger. "It's not grey, it just… light black…" Ana gave him a skeptical look and the two of them continued to argue good-naturedly about the true color of Mark's hair.

"Hi," Arizona murmured softly as she moved over to sit next to Callie on the bed. The blonde placed a light kiss on Callie's forehead before turning her gaze back to the bickering surgeon, and five year old in the chair. "Ana seems to like Mark," she remarked jokingly.

"Yeah, she adores Christina too…" Callie replied easily, as she threaded her fingers through Arizona's. "A couple of years ago Aria asked me to watch Ana for the weekend since she had a conference in Seattle. I made both of them help me babysit… She calls Christina, Auntie Chrissy…"

"Really?" Arizona stifled a laugh as she pictured Christina being called anything other than Yang or Christina.

"And the funny thing was, Christina didn't mind. Except after, I may have tried to call her Chrissy and almost gotten beaten over the head with a tequila bottle…" Callie laughed before her expression turned slightly more serious as her gaze fell on her niece. "I actually wanted to talk to you about something."

Arizona's mind immediately went to the reappearance of Callie's ex but she nodded nonetheless. "Okay, sure." She replied with a smile.

"Hey Mark?" Callie asked, and he looked up in surprise. "Can you take Ana down the cafeteria for a bit?"

Make looked between Callie and Arizona suspiciously for a minute but he nodded and moved toward the door. "C'mon mini Torres, they have Jell-O in the cafeteria…" He shot Callie a mischievous glance. "And, you can help me pick up hot nurses."

"Mark!" Callie warned but he laughed it off and grabbed Ana's hand.

"Kidding, I was totally kidding!" He called over his shoulders as he walked down the hall, followed eagerly by Ana who was practically tripping over her feet in her attempts to match his long stride.

Callie sighed and leaned against Arizona's shoulder. "I'm kind of worried he wasn't actually kidding," Callie admitted with a laugh.

"He's harmless, a bit of a manwhore," Arizona amended. "But he's harmless… Anyway, there was something you wanted to tell me?"

"Yeah…" Callie paused, unsure of where to start, and she ran a hand through her hair in her anxiety.

"Hey," Arizona stilled Callie's hand and cupped her girlfriend's cheek. "You're freaking me out here. Whatever it is, you can tell me," Arizona promised and she thought maybe some of the fear drained from Callie's deep brown eyes.

"Okay. The thing is, I don't really know how I feel about it… It's a huge decision and I don't know if I'm ready, I really want you to be okay with this. But if you're not, I get it, I mean… It's huge…" Callie paused and Arizona shook her head, leaning her forehead against Callie's.

"What's this huge decision?" Arizona asked softly before looking inquiringly up into Callie's eyes.

"Aria named me Ana's legal guardian…" Callie blurted, as she searched Arizona's face anxiously for a reaction. "She would come live with me-us at the apartment or a house… I don't know, but I wanted to talk to you… Because if this is too much for you, I think it might be too much for me, and I really want to be okay with this but I'm not sure if I am-" Arizona placed a finger over Callie's lips for a moment silencing her rambling and giving herself a few quiet moments to digest everything she had heard. Callie waited patiently as Arizona seemed deep in thought, her finger still resting on Callie's lip.

"What do you want to do?" Arizona asked carefully as she gazed intently down at Callie's face.

Arizona Robbins had never considered children to be a possibility for her future. It wasn't that she didn't like them; she adored them. But she knew every single way that the tiny humans could be hurt or injured and she had dealt with too many dying children or grieving parents to be joyous about the idea of looking after a child. She got emotionally attached to her patients, but a child that she lived with and cared for? She would be downright neurotic.

"I don't know…" Callie admitted quietly. "We haven't really talked about kids, and I'm sorry I had to spring this on you but it's my sister's daughter… Mostly I want to know what you think, how you feel about this."

"Are you asking me, how I would feel about Ana coming to live with us?" Arizona asked tentatively and Callie nodded. "I never really considered myself the type of person who would have kids," the blonde divulged and Callie looked up in alarm. "I see too many dying children in my field to not be frightened about helping to raise a child…" Arizona mused thoughtfully; unaware of the effect her words were having on Callie. She wasn't forming an opinion of the situation; she was just ordering her whirling thoughts.

"I get it." Callie forced a smile, "I can tell my parents-" Arizona shook her head, curls swaying around her face and Callie stopped talking, still clinging to a faint tinge of hope.

"Let me explain," Arizona began quietly and Callie nodded, her gaze fixed on the hospital blanket. "I never let myself consider having kids of my own. I know a thousand things that can hurt them, and I've seen too many broken parents to want to put myself through that…" She ran her fingers hesitantly though her blonde curls. "But… Seeing you with her today, playing cards, or even when you were comforting her… I kept thinking about what it would be like if it was our child, our own little tiny human…" Arizona admitted, a smile playing across the corners of her lips that Callie matched with her own. "All of a sudden it didn't seem so scary… Ana really loves you, you know Calliope."

"I don't want to do this if it's going to scare you. I love Ana, she's Aria's daughter and she's my niece but I wouldn't do anything to hurt you or make you feel uncomfortable when she has a perfectly good home with my parents. She'll be fine with my parents and I can visit her…" Callie explained as she reached up to brush Arizona's cheek. "I do want kids someday, but not if I can't have you…"

Arizona shook her head; "I was saying, I think maybe we could… let Ana stay with us. You're just going to have to umm… help me."

"You're sure?" Callie asked tentatively, searching Arizona's face for a hint of doubt. "Arizona you don't have to do this for me… I mean we're going to have to find a school, a room for her to sleep in, some kind of babysitter because after that there is no way I'm leaving my impressionable young niece with my manwhore best friend."

"We can go look at schools once your leg is better." Arizona replied with an indulgent smile. "In the meantime we have a spare room in the apartment that she can stay in until we can fix it up, or we could go look at houses… And I bet we could get some of the nurses to watch Ana if we have to run to the hospital… I'm sure about this, scared, but sure…"

"You're okay with this?" Callie asked, just to be sure.

"More than okay," Arizona answered easily. "You're going to make an amazing parent."

"You will too, Arizona, we're doing this together." Callie promised. "What did you mean when you said I needed to help you?"

"Oh," Arizona blushed. "You know, if I get too neurotic or freaked out… talk me out of it," she laughed and leaned her forehead against Callie's.

"You're going to have to do that for me too," Callie responded, although there was laughter in her tone there was still a touch of nervousness. "I'm as frightened as you are… I mean… it's a kid, a child that we're going to be responsible for… What if we screw her up? Aria would kill me, if she could… But I mean…" Arizona once again silenced Callie's ramble and a quick kiss.

"We're doing this?" Arizona asked with a smile, and matching grin appeared on Callie's lips.

"We're doing this…" Arizona snuggled down against Callie, once again ignoring Bailey's death threat about staying off of Callie's bed. If Ana could, she could too. Callie buried her nose in Arizona's curls, allowing the familiar shampoo scent lull toward sleep.

"Oh, there's one more thing…" Callie said nervously, remembering Erica's return. Arizona twisted from where her head was pillowed on Callie's chest to peer up at Callie. "That woman in the room this morning, that was Erica Hahn…"

"I know," Arizona replied with an easy smile as she draped an arm around Callie's waist. "Mark told me."

"You know I'm not… Still hung up over her, don't you?" The brunette asked, hoping that Arizona wouldn't hate her for saying Erica could visit again the next day.

"Of course not, I trust you completely but if she tries anything," Arizona bit her lip, "I'll go all playground Arizona on her." Her tone turned slightly more serious. "I understand why you want to talk to her Calliope, you need closure."

Callie nodded, leaning down to press a quick kiss against Arizona's lips. "If she mentions it, I may have umm… given her a bit of a speech." Arizona admitted softly, but instead of the annoyed look she expected, laughter appeared in Callie's eyes.

"You gave Erica Hahn a speech? What on earth about?" She inquired through giggles.

"Nothing really," Arizona muttered in embarrassment. "I _may _have told her I was in love with you, and she didn't deserve a second chance after what she did…" Arizona blushed as Callie laughed even harder.

"You're amazing," Callie pulled Arizona more snugly against her, as Arizona nestled her head against Callie's shoulder.

"I totally am," Arizona mumbled into the fabric of Callie's hospital gown as she let sleep slowly overwhelm her.

A few minutes later, Mark appeared in the doorway, loosely holding one of Ana's hand while her other hand was clutching a half eaten cup of Jell-O. He stopped short when he saw Callie and Arizona were sleeping, their bodies pressed tightly together, in the cramped hospital bed.

Ana peered in at them, perplexed, "Why are they sleeping like that?" She asked in a hushed whisper as Mark laughed quietly.

"They're umm… special friends," he murmured in explanation. "That's it, they're really special friends."

"I don't do that with my special friends," Ana muttered.

"They're a different kind of special friends. Anyway,' Mark quickly changed the subject steering away from having to explain the fact that Arizona and Callie were dating to a child. No, he would leave that experience all for Callie. "It's getting kind of late, we'd better find your grandparents. Hide that Jell-O too, I don't think I was supposed to feed you that for dinner."

* * *

Arizona reluctantly opened her eyes, wincing as sunlight poured in through the window. She felt warm arms encircling her waist, and Callie's head was nestled snugly into the crook of her neck as slow deep breaths let Arizona know, her girlfriend was still asleep. However from across the room a familiar brown eyed gaze searched her face from a chair in the corner.

"Ana!" Arizona squeaked as she untangled herself from Callie and sat up rigidly straight in the bed. "Good morning…"

"Hey Dr. Robbins," Ana replied with a bright smile. "Grandma and Grandpa are getting coffee in the cafeteria, they said they'd be here soon."

"Well then…" Arizona blushed, but paused as an idea formed in her mind. "You can help me wake up Calliope," she gestured and Ana moved over to the bed a mischievous smile appearing on her lips. "She's very ticklish," Arizona revealed quietly. "Just be careful not to move her leg."

Ana reached over and tickled under Callie's chin while Arizona ran her fingers over Callie's stomach. The brunette groaned halfheartedly fending off the attacks with one had while squeezing her eyes tightly shut.

"Five more minutes," Callie murmured sleepily as Ana continued to tickle her chin. "Please, just one… one more minute."

"Nope!" Ana said gleefully. "You gotta wake up Auntie Callie, grandma and grandpa are coming over soon and Arizona told me she needed me to help her wake you up!"

"She did, did she?" Callie opened one eye and glared at Arizona who assumed her most innocent expression.

"I have no idea what she's talking about," she replied, flashing her dimples as Callie looked at her with knowing disbelief.

"Sure you don't, this has perky PEDs surgeon written all over it…"

"Calliope!" Callie mother appeared in the doorway, followed by her father, both of who were holding cups of coffee in their hands. "Good morning, I'm surprised to see you awake mija."

"Me too," Arizona murmured teasingly as Callie sat up.

"We brought you both coffee," Callie father said as he passed one steaming cup to Callie and the other to Arizona who gratefully took a sip.

"Thanks," Callie mumbled sleepily, rubbing her eyes. "I needed that…"

"Good Morning Torres," Derek Shepherd had arrived in her hospital room. "You have lots of visitors I see, I'm surprised it's early."

"Hey Derek," Callie muttered. Both of her parents were looking anxiously at the doctor, Arizona shared their worried expression, while Ana was making halfhearted attempts to tickle Callie.

"Are you ready to try moving your leg?" He asked cautiously, not sure if Callie wanted this many people in the room.

"Sure," she replied. Arizona knew Callie was trying to mask her nerves, but the brunette reached out and grasped Arizona's hand, holding it tightly.

"Okay," Derek nodded and walked over to her bedside, slowly unwrapping the cover of bandages. "You could wait outside, unless Callie doesn't mind of course." He looked questioningly at Callie who shook her head.

"It's fine, they can stay." Her grip tightened on Arizona's hand, in response the blonde wrapped an arm around Callie's shoulders comfortingly.

"Whatever happens…" She murmured quietly into Callie's ear and the brunette nodded, flashing her a small smile.

"I know."

"Okay, so Torres I want you to start slow. Try moving one of your toes."

Callie's brow furrowed as she stared at her foot, concentrating. Everyone watched as one of her toes twitched, then slowly Callie moved her foot. Arizona's breath hitched and a wide smile appeared on her lips, one that was matched on almost every face in the room, including Callie's.

"It's working, I can walk… right? The surgery worked?" Callie asked quickly, still moving her toes up and down.

"Yep," Derek replied with a small smile. "You're going to need to take it slow for awhile. I'm going to refer you to a physical therapist, but I don't see why you can't be discharged in the next couple of days… It's going to be a long recovery," Derek cautioned, "even at home you shouldn't put any weight on your leg or try to move it too much, but eventually I don't see why you can't regain full function."

Callie grinned, her eyes first finding Arizona's delighted face then traveling to the faces of the rest of her family all of whom looked relieved.

"That's great Calliope!" Arizona beamed, as Derek signed something on his clipboard and left.

"Yeah," a familiar voice sounded in the doorway. "That's amazing Cal," Erica mumbled, as she leaned against the doorframe.

"Erica? You're… uhh… early…" Callie parents looked in confusion between Callie and the mysterious blonde, and Arizona's eyes narrowed imperceptibly.

"I know, can we talk?" Callie threaded her fingers through Arizona's and cast the blonde and reassuring glance.

"I guess."

* * *

**A/N: So, it's not really a cliff hanger, but it is... sort of :D**

**I'm going to try to update Tidal Wave and New History soon but this week is SUPER hectic. **

**Anyway, reviews are loved, adored, whatever :D**


	17. Family Portrait

**A/N: Wow, okay so this fic is a lot longer than I expected it to be and thank you all for reading all of these chapters and reviewing :D I made it to 200 reviews, I don't know why, but that feel like some sort of milestone... and a huge thanks to everyone who has reviewed, all of you guys are super awesome:)**

**This chapter is mostly Callie and Erica talking, but there is still some Calzona goodness :D**

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**Pictures of You**

**Chapter Seventeen**

Erica stood in the doorway, masking her nerves by adopting a casual posture. Callie's eyes were still wide is disbelief and something akin to annoyance flashed across her expression as she looked around the room at her family. Erica was interrupting, she hadn't meant to disturb Callie's visit with her parents but she couldn't wait until that night to visit. There were still issues gnawing away in her chest and practically bursting from her lips, she needed to talk to Callie. The tension, the stress, she couldn't deal with it any more.

A woman who bore a striking resemblance to Callie, the same features touched slightly by age, gazed worriedly at Erica in the doorway. In the corner, a smaller girl, maybe five or six, Erica guessed was looking at her with narrowed eyes; apparently she wasn't very a popular guest with the Torres family even though they had no idea who she was. Arizona however had remained impassive, her expression was completely neutral although Erica had seen her eyes constrict imperceptibly and her mouth adopt a slight frown upon her arrival.

These people in the room, Callie's parents, her niece and her girlfriend, these were the people who loved Callie, Erica realized with a pang of guilt. She was supposed to be part of that picture. Callie was supposed to be reassuringly clutching _her _hand, not Arizona's, she was supposed to have gotten the chance to meet Callie's parents and even her niece. Erica as seeing her perfect future with Callie, only it had been played out with someone else.

Erica was many things, cold: possibly, detached: definitely, yet she was not so arrogant to believe that she had even a remote chance. She knew she had made her choice, she just hadn't expected it to hurt so much.

"Calliope?" Callie mother inquired gently, her confusion evident. The tension in the room between the three women, Callie, Arizona and Erica was practically tangible but the rest of the visitors had no idea what was going on.

"Mama," Callie began, her voice tinged with worry. "Can you guys give a few minutes?"

"Of course Mija," she answered, quickly ushering Ana and her husband out of the hospital room. Ana looked curiously at Erica, almost studying her while Callie's father stared at her suspiciously, he obviously suspected who she was.

"So," Callie muttered, her grip tightened on Arizona's hand as she drew comfort from such a simple, routine gesture. "You wanted to talk to me?"

"Yeah," Erica mumbled, edging away from the door to move closer to Callie's bed.

At this exchange Arizona relinquished her grip on Callie's hand, she began to untangle herself from the sheets and blankets on the bed and get up. Instantly, Callie caught her hand, looking up at the blonde with alarm.

Arizona however responded with a small smile, "I shouldn't be here Calliope, you two need time to talk."

"Arizona," Callie shook her head vehemently and tightened her grasp on Arizona's hand. "Stay, please."

"Calliope, you know I trust you completely, one hundred and ten percent. But, you need to do this by yourself." Callie looked ready to protest, but Arizona continued. "You have a lot to talk about, and you won't be able to talk openly with me standing over your shoulder." Her voice cracked slightly but she stifled her worry with a quick intake of breath. "I want to stay, I really do, but you have a choice to make and I don't want to pressure you by being here."

"There is no choice," Callie defended softly; heedless of the fact Erica was standing a mere few feet away. "No matter when she says, nothing can change my mind about you," her tone radiated conviction as Callie's russet eyes begged her girlfriend to stay. Arizona reached down and grasped Callie's hand once again, entwining their fingers and dropping a lingering kiss over the hand clutched in her own.

"Then, I want to give you a chance to let go of some of the hurt you are carrying around from that day. Don't deny it Calliope," Arizona said with as playful a tone as she could muster. "You want answers, just talk, and argue, whatever you two need to do. Page me when you're finished, okay?"

"This is what you want? I don't want you to think-" Arizona brushed a finger across Callie's lips silencing her words. Quickly she leaned in and pressed a light kiss against Callie's forehead, brushing a few stray hairs away from the brunette's face.

"It's what you need…" The blonde finished softly, giving Callie's hand a reassuring squeeze before clambering off of the bed. "Dr. Hahn," Arizona merely nodded in the direction of the blonde cardio surgeon, her tone icy, but Erica didn't miss the flash of warning that flitted through her blue eyes.

"So…" Callie mumbled indecisively; she felt bereft with out the feeling of Arizona beside her. She knew she was being overly dramatic, but it felt like the temperature of the room had dropped about ten degrees with Arizona's departure.

"There are some things I need to say," Erica began slowly. Callie nodded, fixing Erica with an empty expression.

Words, they were pressing against her lips, angry sentences she had bottled up inside of herself since she had walked away were begging to be heard. Erica drew in a deep breath, exhaling slowly. She had to pace herself, one false step and she knew that their meeting would evolve into a simple screaming match, something Erica greatly wished to avoid.

"I was angry," she began cautiously. "I know I told you I wasn't… I told you that sleeping with Mark was okay and that we would work around it but I couldn't get the idea of you two out of my head," Erica admitted, her hands shoved firmly into her pockets. "So, I left… That night at the hospital, I saw that you weren't ready for us, you still weren't sure… that's why I left."

"That's not why you left Erica," Callie replied evenly. "You and I both know that. You use Mark as an excuse, maybe to make yourself feel better, I don't know. But either way, I know you, and I know that you wouldn't leave over something that petty." There was a hint of a challenge in her eyes as Callie dared Erica to deny the truth in her words.

"I don't-"

"Erica, you're a fighter, you're hardcore and frankly you're a bit detached… My point is, you don't run, not from _anything, _yet something made you run from us and I know it wasn't Mark."

Erica recoiled, the truth could be painful, and she knew that. It was her duty to tell people that their family members had died in her ER and she saw the denial flash through their eyes before the truth settled in. Then, she saw the pain.

"I have no idea what you want from me, Callie" Erica demanded, her hands forming into fists in her pockets. "I came. I told you why I left. After this we were supposed to both just move on with our lives but you seem determined to make it that much harder."

"The truth, I want the truth" She answered as if it were the easiest, most obvious answer in the world. "I want to know why you did what you did. I want to know what I did to hurt you so badly. Maybe I should be blaming myself, maybe I did force you away, but if I did I need to know why." Callie exhaled forcefully, forcing herself to calm down. "I _need _to know it if was my fault, I felt guilty and I felt angry… The entire ordeal was horrifying. I didn't understand what had happened. I thought maybe I had pushed you away; I blamed myself for the longest time. You made me afraid, and normally I don't get afraid. It's not me, it's not in my nature, yet I was so careful and so closed off because I was afraid of pushing away anyone else the way I had done to you."

"Oh…" Erica replied; she had no idea Callie had actually blamed herself for their breakup, if anything it made her feel worse.

"So, just tell me. No more lies, no more excuses… Why?"

"It wasn't you," Erica replied, pulling the truth from somewhere where she had buried it in the back of her mind. "You didn't push me away, even the entire thing with Mark didn't really bother me because I knew you were just trying to figure everything out." Erica paused for the longest time, Callie watched her intently the entire time, scrutinizing her expression.

"Then why?"

"I wasn't ready for us. That night, in the parking lot," the blonde winced in remembrance but continued her story nonetheless. "I see the world in black in white, it's the way I am… I just… do. You were so sure of yourself, you were finally secure in what you had discovered about yourself, but I don't have that kind of self confidence. I couldn't wrap my head around what you were telling me. You said you were, 'kind of' a lesbian. I see the world in black in white Callie, for me there is no _kind of_. That scared me, I didn't want to be in a relationship where I would constantly have to try to see the grey areas… does that make sense?"

Callie looked thoughtful for a moment, before shaking her head. "You do see the world in black and white, it's what makes you such an amazing surgeon but it's also what forces you to be so distant." She replied honestly, "but I still don't understand why you had to leave…"

"I left because…" Erica struggled to find the words to describe the confusion she had felt that night. "I left, because _I _wasn't ready for us. It hurt me that you wouldn't take my side, but I walked away from you in that parking lot because I wasn't ready to be a couple. It was all too new and I know you though I was completely okay with everything, but I couldn't tell you that I actually wasn't because… well, you know me," Erica finished with a wry smile, "when have you ever heard me admit to being afraid?"

"It wasn't because I forced you away-" Callie asked insecurely, but Erica cut her off.

"I'm sorry you had to believe that, but I walked away because I wasn't ready for something so complicated. It was nothing you did Callie, the Mark ordeal didn't exactly _help _things but don't blame yourself."

"Wow," Callie mumbled as she toyed with the corner of the blanket. "Not what I was expecting."

"Honestly," Erica admitted with a sigh, "not what I was expecting either."

"I'm sorry," Callie, said earnestly, "that you felt you couldn't talk to me about any of this, but thank you… for coming and telling me. I know it wasn't easy."

"I originally came to check up you, Callie…" Erica's voice trailed off, "what happened? I mean you were in the fire and…"

Callie's expression tightened, "I was visiting some family when the fire started in the building, we were trapped," she explained quickly, skating over most of the details that would incite pity. That was not something she needed from her ex-girlfriend.

"You're going to be okay, right?" Erica's gaze traveled over the large bandage on her leg, she noticed that it only encased the upper part of her leg now her foot was free from any gauze.

"Check it out," Callie replied with a small smile as she wiggled her toes for a few seconds.

Erica raised an eyebrow, unable to keep a laugh from escaping her lips. "Nice Callie, I'm glad," her tone softened, "really glad."

"Thanks" the brunette answered before an awkward silence settled over the room.

"So," Erica had settled herself down in the chair, relieved that the hard part of their conversation seemed to be over. "Tell me about Arizona." She found that without the guilt weighing heavy on her mind and small part of herself was actually happy that Callie had found someone. That didn't mean she wasn't jealous, oh she was _very _jealous, but more because someday, that was what she wanted.

"Really?" Callie looked surprised, albeit slightly pleased.

Erica nodded, "yeah. She gave me quite the speech, I think I may have underestimated her, she really loves you, you know."

A delighted smile curved the corners of Callie lips, an expression Erica had never seen before on the brunette's face. "People tend to do that, underestimate her. With all of her perkiness and her Heeley's I know a lot of people make the mistake of thinking she's less of a surgeon and less of a fighter than she actually is. Arizona is amazing, she kissed me in a dirty bar bathroom then told me I was to much of a newborn to ever date her." Erica laughed as Callie continued. "She reconsidered though, and she's stood by me for so much. It's almost ridiculous some of the crap I put her through but she stays… I have no idea why, but I'll never stop being grateful for that."

"You love her," Erica said an amused smile appearing of her customary smirk. "Who would've thought, Callie Torres, ortho badass, in love with a PEDs surgeon."

"Don't even try to tell her PEDs isn't hardcore, it is totally is badass, just in a different way. Tell her anything different and she'll run you right over with those adorable Heeley's of hers." Callie replied easily, "but yeah, I do love her and I'm lucky to have her." Callie blushed and busied herself with brushing an invisible piece of lint off of the blanket.

"I'm happy for you Callie."

* * *

Arizona was nervous, way too nervous. She had made the right choice, Erica and Callie had needed to time to figure out their issues and she wanted to give Callie that chance… It's just she hated, really, really hated leaving Callie in the same room with a woman who had hurt her so badly.

"Dr. Robbins," Bailey walked up beside Arizona at the nurse's desk, dropping a chart off and waiting for an answer from the PEDs surgeon. When none came, Baily looked up again to see the blonde with a agitated expression on her face, completely lost in her thoughts. "Ahem! Dr. Robbins?" Arizona jerked out of her worries turning to face Bailey with an embarrassed expression.

"Sorry Dr. Bailey did you need something?" Arizona asked while tying up her hair into a ponytail and trying to distract herself from the thoughts of Callie and Erica plaguing her mind.

"I just had a few questions," Bailey began. Arizona fiddled with her pen, not really paying attention to Bailey's questions. She should be listening, they were probably very important questions, but… "Dr. Robbins! Are you even listening?" Bailey had apparently noticed Arizona's vacant expression.

"Umm… oh sorry…" Arizona paused and tried to focus her attention on Bailey but as she did, an idea formed in her mind. "You don't do personal conversations, do you Dr. Bailey?"

"No. Never." Bailey answered, already knowing full well where this conversation was going but with Arizona Robbins she knew she would probably get coerced into talking about relationship drama anyway.

"But," Arizona tapped the pen against her lip. "If I just kind of talked… out loud to myself maybe, you would comment on said conversation?"

"Maybe," Bailey murmured suspiciously. "It's not about you and Torres and you dirty on-call room activities, because if it is, I don't care if you my superior. This is a hospital and I refuse to listen to that sort of thing." Arizona shook her head with a small grin at Bailey's reluctance. "Fine," the shorter general surgery resident sighed. "Go ahead."

"Okay," Arizona began eagerly. "Erica came back to talk to Callie today, I know I should be nervous or jealous because I am totally secure in our relationship. I mean I sleep over at her place-"

"No sleeping talk!" Bailey demanded quickly and Arizona offered an apologetic smile.

"Sorry," she shrugged her shoulders sheepishly. "Anyway I gave them some time alone, to you know… talk… but I'm worried… what if maybe Callie wants to go back to her because maybe… maybe after all this time she still misses Erica and I know I shouldn't worry but I do…" Arizona paused and looked down at Bailey. "Okay, comment."

"I feel like I'm in high school," Bailey muttered. "You know what, make that kindergarten... It's Torres, Arizona!" she exclaimed in exasperation. "Everyone knows she's head over heels in love with you. It's painfully obvious every time you two are in the same room together with those gooey, lovey dovey eyes you two are always making at each other. No, you have nothing to worry about, so either answer my questions or go talk to Callie."

Arizona beamed, "thanks," she murmured gratefully as her nervous fidgeting finally stopped. "You had questions for me?"

"Go see Callie," Bailey replied with annoyance. "I know you won't be able to focus until you do."

"You sure-"

"Go Dr. Robbins!" It didn't any more convincing and Arizona dashed off, up to her girlfriend's hospital room.

Arizona arrived at Callie's room, and she was relieved not tot hear loud voices coming from inside. Tip-toeing quietly, Arizona edged until she was right next to the doorframe, not visible to anyone inside the room but she could still head pretty well.

She knew she should just leave give Callie and Erica their privacy but she couldn't help it. Straining, Arizona could just barely make out the conversation, she recognized Callie's voice and she was surprised to hear it sounded happy, lighthearted.

"_People tend to do that, underestimate her. With all of her perkiness and her Heeley's I know a lot of people make the mistake of thinking she's less of a surgeon and less of a fighter than she actually is. Arizona is amazing, she kissed me in a dirty bar bathroom then told me I was to much of a newborn to ever date her." Arizona heard Erica laugh as Callie continued. "She reconsidered though, and she's stood by me for so much. It's almost ridiculous some of the crap I put her through but she stays… I have no idea why, but I'll never stop being grateful for that."_

Arizona recognized Eric'a voice as the cardio surgeon began to speak. "_You love her. Who would've thought, Callie Torres, ortho badass, in love with a PEDs surgeon."_

"_Don't even try to tell her PEDs isn't hardcore, it is totally is badass, just in a different way. Tell her anything different and she'll run you right over with those adorable Heeley's of hers." Callie replied easily, "but yeah, I do love her and I'm lucky to have her." _

Arizona felt herself smile, a huge, euphoric, intensely perky, cheery, smile. Erica snd Callie weren't getting back together, Callie Torres was talking to her ex-girlfriend about how much she loved Arizona Robbins, the PEDs surgeon who had kissed her in a dirty bar bathroom.

Not wanting to get caught, the blonde quickly skated off down the hall, a giant grin plastered across her face that remained there throughout the rest of her shift. They had exchanged I loves you's awhile ago, in fact they said the three words almost every morning but still... hearing Callie say that, it meant a lot. So, her euphoric grin was present until the end of her shift, despite how grouchy Bailey was for the remaining two hours.

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**A/N: So... I wan't sure about the ending, but yeah... that was chapter seventeen :D**

**Both New History and Tidal Wave will be updated next week.**

**Next chapter or possibly the one after that is going to skip some time, I think about two weeks**

**Reviews are loved, more than chocolate :D**


	18. Mr Happy

**A/N: Wow, so it's been a while since I updated this... but here it is :D**

**As usual, thank's to everyone who reviewed, and I'm super sorry for taking so long.**

**I might not be updating as frequently for the next update so this is pretty long, enjoy :D**

**NOTE: There is a reference to something Callie mentioned in Chapter Five, so.. yeah that's where the excerpt comes from. **

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**Pictures of You**

**Chapter Eighteen**

**(Two Weeks Later)**

Arizona stepped off of the plane, feeling the heat saturating the air roll over her in a blistering wave. So, this was Miami… This was where Calliope had grown up. The thought of visiting her girlfriend's old house sent an excited flutter though her stomach as she grabbed her bag and turned back to make sure Ana and Mr. and Ms. Torres were following her.

Two weeks ago, Callie and Arizona had talked with Callie's parents, agreeing that Ana would stay with them in Seattle. They had made this trip to Miami to pack up and bring back most of Ana's things back to Callie and Arizona's apartment, though Bailey had forbidden Callie from traveling on a plane. Arizona knew the general surgeon was right; her girlfriend couldn't quite walk yet, so while her physical therapy was going well traveling with them to Miami on a plane was a bit of a stretch. So, Arizona had offered to go.

"Auntie Zonie," Ana panted running up behind Arizona and grabbing her hand. "You walk… way too fast…" She panted, earning an embarrassed grin from Arizona.

"Sorry," she stopped, turning around to make sure Callie's parents where still behind them in the crowded airport and she saw them a few feet behind, watching the two of them with amused glances. "So," Arizona turned her attention back to Ana who was still clutching resolutely to Arizona's hand. "Are you going to show me your room when we get to your house?"

"Yep," Ana smiled proudly. "And, you can see Auntie Callie's old room, my fish, I named him Mr. Happy, 'cause he always looks like he's smiling and…" her face fell slightly, "And... you can see… mommy's room…"

Arizona tightened her grip on the little girl's hand for a moment, looking down at the small child with concern. "So… Mr. Happy, a fish?" She asked cautiously, wanting to steer the conversation away from upsetting topics.

"Yeah, he's a goldfish," Ana explained. "That means he's yellow and he has really big eyes." The little girl replied, with the unique excitement that comes from having you're first pet.

Arizona's first pet had been a hamster named Montana. As a child Arizona had been convinced that everything had to be named after a state, since both her brother and herself had been named after states. She had constantly wondered if 'Daniel,' her father's name was some obscure state she had never heard of. That is, until she went to school and discovered a world of Ashleys, Sams and Joannes, none of which she would find on the map. Thus, all of the family pets had been named a succession of states, varying from Carolina the family dog, to Florida a collective name for a group of fruit flies Arizona had kept in a jar as a school project.

"You guys have everything?" Callie father asked, catching up with them as they exited the sliding glass doors at the airport.

"Guess what grandpa!" Ana grinned up had her grandfather, completely ignoring his question.

"What mija?" He asked with a small, indulgent smile.

"I'm going to take Mr. Happy to Seattle!" Arizona paled a little bit, sure, her first pet had been a hamster but that had _not _ended well.

"Really?" Mr. Torres raised an eyebrow, looking curiously at Arizona who merely shrugged and nodded her approval. "Well, I'm sure he'll be very happy there… some rain would… do him good…" Mr. Torres chuckled as he gestured to a shiny black limousine that had practically glided up to the curb. "The car's here."

It seemed her if Callie's parents enjoyed Arizona's open-mouthed stare as they all clambered in the limousine but Ana simply tugged Arizona's hand until the blonde's obvious shock had faded and she followed into the luxurious car.

* * *

"Wow… this is… wow…" Arizona's mouth formed a small 'o' at the sight of the giant house that Calliope apparently grew up in. It was _giant, _and the yard surrounding it was huge. They had a pond.. a pond! She had known Callie's family was rich, but not _this _rich. This was beyond rich this was like… have buildings named after you, awards in your name kind of rich.

"I'll take it you like the house?" Mrs. Torres asked, as she walked up to stand next to Arizona in the driveway. "It's a bit intimidating at first, but Callie and Aria grew up here. Those girls were insane, the one time they got along was when they were doing something against the rules, school rules, our rules, city rules, it didn't matter." She laughed fondly at the memory of her two daughters, a touch of sadness appearing in her eyes. "I can't count the times my husband and I came home to find a huge party in full swing at our house…"

Arizona laughed, pictures 'high school Callie' and her sister running around the house were flashing through her mind. "It's an amazing house," Arizona replied. "Really… I mean…" Words failed her, but Mrs. Torres linked her arm through Arizona's and guided her daughter's girlfriend up to the house, an amused smile playing across her lips.

"I'll show you Calliope's old room. I'm afraid Carlos and I haven't touched a thing, it's almost exactly as it was when she left for college," Callie's mother explained as she showed Arizona through the front door. Behind them, Ana was talking excitedly with Mr. Torres, giggling as she leaned up to whisper something in her grandpa's ear.

Up a huge staircase, Mrs. Torres gestured toward a door just to the left of the landing. "Her room was right in there," she watched Arizona look inquisitively at the door, and moved to walk back downstairs. "I'm going to help Ana and Carlos get some of our stuff unpacked… I thought you might want to stay in Callie's room since we're only here for a day or two, but we have other rooms if…"

"That's fine," the blonde beamed gratefully toward the other women. "Really, it's perfect."

"Great," Mrs. Torres gave Arizona a small smile before heading down the stairs again.

Excitedly Arizona approached the door, hesitantly only for a moment before pushing it open and standing in the doorway.

Posters and pictures covered the walls, a few of them displayed images of cars, others were of bands, but the majority of decoration on the walls consisted of pictures. A younger version of Callie, stared back at Arizona from over fifty different pictures, smiling that thousand-watt smile that Arizona loved, laughing, hugging someone Arizona didn't recognize, or making silly faces at the camera. In a few pictures that plastered the walls, Arizona discerned a familiar figure. She was taller than Callie, but she had the same dark eyes and wavy, long dark hair that Arizona would recognize in an instant. So, Arizona, realized this was Aria.

Turning her gaze away from the walls, Arizona felt a twinge of sadness pass through her chest. She had never met her girlfriend's sister, she had almost hated her for a while for ignoring Callie but here, in these photos decorating the walls of her girlfriend's bedroom, Arizona wished she could have met her.

Looking around the rest of Callie's room, Arizona was surprised to see a keyboard leaning against the wall next to the bed. Also, Callie's parents really weren't kidding when they said they hadn't touched a thing. Callie's room was messy, it looked as if it was still lived in. The blonde half expected Callie to waltz back in any minute.

A smirk crossed Arizona's lips as she saw one familiar item, link this room back to the Callie's she knew and was in love with:

A small bottle of black nail polish on the dresser.

* * *

"Want to come see Mr. Happy now?" Ana peeked her head through Callie's doorway, causing Arizona to jump at the interruption. She shot Ana a sheepish grin and nodded.

"Sure, I would love to," Ana pointed down the hallway to a room about four doors down the hall. Arizona followed Ana toward the room, knowing instantly when Ana opened it this was her room. Oddly, it was similar to Callie's: very messy, and it was covered with pictures and posters, it's just that most of them were pink.

"Here he is," Ana, pointed to a fish bowl on her dresser where a small goldfish was swimming around in slow circles. "That's Mr. Happy. See?" Ana gestured at the goldfish, "he's smiling."

Arizona really didn't see it, but she nodded along, smiling kindly at Ana who was peering into the bowl with adoration. "You think he'll like Seattle right?" The little girl bit her lip nervously and looked worriedly up at Arizona who suppressed an amused smile.

"Of course." She assured Ana, ruffling the little girl's hair. "We can put him in your room, I'm sure he'll really love Seattle, it's very wet… so it's perfect." Ana beamed up at Arizona before her grandmother's voice called her back downstairs to taste something in the kitchen.

"I'll be right back," she promised, dashing off down the hall and thundering down the stairs with childish abandon. Arizona could definitely see why Mark and Christina had christened her 'Mini Torres.'

In her pocket, Arizona's phone vibrated and she pulled it out, her face breaking out into a wide, dimpled smile when she saw the caller ID. Practically jumping up and down in her excitement, Arizona flipped the phone open as she walked down the hall back toward her girlfriend's old room.

"Calliope," Arizona greeted the brunette on the other end of the line, a comforting feeling settling in her chest at the sound of that familiar voice. "You'll never guess where I am right now!"

"In my old house?" Callie guessed; Arizona could practically hear her smirk.

"Nice try, but better!" Arizona replied, enjoying the agonized moan that she heard over the end of the line.

"My mom showed you my old room, didn't she?" Callie grumbled, "I told her not too, I mean it's messy… I don't even remember what's in there…"

"I'm standing the middle of high-school Calliope's bedroom right now. It's definitely not what I expected, I didn't know you played the piano!" Arizona enthusiasm only made Callie miss her more. Silently cursing her hurt leg, Callie listened Arizona ramble about her old room, enjoying how her girlfriend seemed fascinated by what she was like in high school.

"I don't, at least not well," Callie answered, regretting not hiding the keyboard. "I haven't played in years anyway…"

"Well, when I get home I'm make sure to remedy that. I kinda want to see you, rock out on the piano, it's pretty badass…" Callie groaned, once again secretly enjoying Arizona's enthusiasm. "I just wish you could be here," Arizona admitted quietly, I mean…. You know?"

"Yeah, I wish I could be the one to show you all that stuff. But, I promise one day soon, when my leg's all better we can visit and I'll take you around Miami and show all of my favorite places." Callie replied, reassuringly. "All the places I used to hang out, the store where Aria dared me to shoplift her a tube of lipstick, the park… everything."

"Wow Calliope Torres, amateur criminal," the blonde giggled, trying to picture her girlfriend shoplifting. Callie was horrible liar, always turning bright red when she tried to keep a secret. It was a bit hard to see the brunette getting away with shoplifting."

"Hardly, I starting bawling like baby the minute I walked out of the store. I ran right back inside and put it back in the display. Aria was pretty pissed at me though, she had to buy her own lipstick…" Callie laughed along with Arizona, "I really do want to show you all of that, and I want to go see where you grew up. A mini Arizona Robbins, now that is something I need to see."

"Sound like a plan," Arizona's tone brightened instantly. "How's your leg? With all the physical therapy, are you doing okay?"

"Yeah, that's actually one of the reasons I called," Arizona could hear the anticipation in Callie's voice immediately. "I walked today, a few feet. But I walked! I freaking walked!"

Arizona gasped, sucking in a sharp breath. "I missed your first steps?" She exclaimed in mock disappointment, a teasing quality appearing in her voice.

"I can practically hear you making that adorable pout over the phone Arizona," Callie admonished, bringing the grin instantly back to Arizona's face.

"You walked?"

"I walked." Callie answered proudly, "It was only a couple of feet, but you know… small steps."

"That's amazing Calliope! So, so, so, so, amazing!" Arizona let out an excited squeal, bouncing up and down on the bed. "I can't wait to see you…"

"I miss you, I really wanted to be there with you…"

"I know, me too… It's weird being here, in your house… without… you… It really just makes me miss you more."

"I'll see you in two days, I never thought I'd be this cliché but it feels like you've been gone for weeks," Callie admitted, "How's Ana doing with all of this? She's not upset is she?"

"She's great, actually we have acquired a new addition to our home. We now live with a goldfish."

"Mr. Happy, that goldfish? Ana's bringing Mr. Happy?" Arizona could hear her own nervousness mirrored in Callie's tone.

"Yep, I couldn't say no… She's like a mini version of you and she has puppy dog eyes down to a science," Arizona shifted on the mattress listening to the sound of Callie giggling on the other end of the phone.

"Ana's been spending a lot of time around you lately so, what can you expect? She learned from the master of puppy dog eyes… how am I ever going to say 'no' when you guys gang up on me with those eyes?"

"You'll be completely at our mercy" Arizona replied gleefully.

"At least she doesn't have dimples too, the I'd be totally helpless,' Callie's tone turned more serious, a fleck of sadness creeping into her words. "Arizona? While you're there, do you think you could grab something for me? It's in my room I think..."

"Sure," Arizona answered she was expecting maybe a picture, an old book or something but she was worried over Callie's abrupt change in attitude. "I'm in your room right now, what is it?"

"I think you'll know when you see it. It's in the second drawer in my desk,…"

"Hang on a sec." Arizona got up and pulled open the second drawer on Callie's desk. If you could call it a desk, it was piled high with so much stuff there no room for sitting and working.

Nestled in between a half completed rubber band ball and couple of pens Arizona saw a folded up piece of paper. Gingerly she unfolded it, unsure of what she was looking at for a moment.

It was what looking like a map, drawn in neat pencil with room's labeled with names and numbers. Scattered across the paper was a few sparkly stickers, marking specific rooms.

-

_"I used to hate you," Callie blurted and behind her Arizona's eyes widened. "You were always the better sister. You know, smarter, prettier more athletic. For awhile I couldn't see past that. But that one day on my first day of ninth grade, you remember? I got lost going to every single one of my classes and that night I was so upset I swore I would never go back to that school again. It seems silly now," she laughed softly and continued recounting the memory. "But then after dinner you sat down with me and drew this map of every building in the school. You outlined all of the room numbers and you used glittery stickers on every room where I had a class so I could find it. I told you it was stupid, but I carried it around in my backpack for my entire freshmen year... After that I figured you weren't the worst sister," Callie laughed again but this time tears were slowly dripping down her cheeks._

_-_

"Oh," Arizona mumbled realizing what she was holding in her hands after she remembered the moment when Callie had said goodbye to her sister in the morgue.

She was holding _that_ map in her hands; Aria had drawn it for Callie… She was holding evidence of how much Callie's big sister had cared for her.

"I found it," Arizona said softly, sitting back down on the bed a setting the paper softly down beside her.

"You did? I just…" Callie voice trailed off, "I just wanted it to remember her by… it seems silly but…"

"You don't have to explain," Arizona comforted her girlfriend. "I totally understand… Is there anything else you want me to bring from your room? I could bring you pictures or..."

"Nope, I have pictures… I had forgotten about that map, but after she… well… it seemed so much more meaningful, so much more important…"

"Auntie Zonie!" Ana burst through the door, looking excited.

"Is that Ana I hear?" Callie asked, her previous, cheerful tone returning. "She gets more energetic everyday."

"Yep, that's her alright…"

"I'll call you tomorrow, okay?" Callie reluctantly prepared herself to hang up the phone. "I love you, and I miss you, it's not quite as cheery over hear with you gone."

"I love you too, I can't wait to see you." Arizona replied, hanging up the phone and turned her gaze back toward Ana, folding up the map carefully and putting it in her purse.

* * *

That night, Arizona slept in Callie's old bed. The ache she felt at the absence of Callie's body beside her, something she had become accustomed to, was slightly eased by the fact she was surrounded by Callie in essence. It just wasn't the same.

Sighing, Arizona flipped over on her back, staring up at the dark ceiling, willing sleep to overtake her. She tried to convince herself she didn't need Callie to fall asleep, but she really did. She hadn't missed a night with Callie unless she or the brunette was on-call at the hospital, and when they were apart it was always hard for her to sleep.

A soft knock of her door, roused Arizona from her desperate attempts at sleep and she slid out from under the covers and padded over to the door. The moment she opened it, a small body crashed into hers, wrapping small arms around her waist and burying a now familiar face against her stomach.

"Ana?" Arizona asked, bewildered by the fact she couldn't actually really see anything. The small form nodded, sniffling against the fabric of her shirt.

"Aw," Arizona knelt down until her face was even with Ana's and looked quickly over the little girl. "Honey are you crying?"

Again, Ana nodded, her lower lip trembling as tears dripped down her cheeks. Arizona knew better than to ask why, she knew why. Instead she pulled the little girl into a hug. Ana buried her face in Arizona's hair, snugly wrapping her arms around Arizona's neck as she sobbed, her tears wetting Arizona's t-shirt.

"She's… not… here…" Ana mumbled a few minutes later, in between her terrified sobs. "She's not… in her room… I went to see if she would be there… I thought maybe…" Her words trailed off, giving way to another onslaught of tears. "I thought... maybe if we came home... she would be...."

Arizona rubbed her hand comfortingly up and down Ana's back, trying to still the tremors that still shook the little girl's body. Ana desperately clung to Arizona's t-shirt as she cried, the sobs slowly dwindling until one a few tears leaked out of her brown eyes.

"Can… can I stay… in here…" Immediately, Arizona nodded, whispering a few soothing words into Ana's ear. She gently picked Ana up, laying her down carefully in the bed before clambering in beside the small form.

Ana snuggled closer to Arizona, grabbing her t-shirt tightly and nesting her head against Arizona's shoulder. She was still crying, but her tears were slowing, leaving dry tear stains down the small cheeks.

"It's okay," Arizona murmured, at a loss for what to say or do… "I promise, one day, it's going to get better…"

* * *

**(Two Days Later)**

"Where are they Mark?" Callie asked, for the fifteenth time. She was standing in front of the baggage claim area where she had promised to meet Arizona and Ana. Her good foot was tapping anxiously against the ground.

"Relax Callie, we were half an hour early!" Mark replied, worriedly looking down at Callie's hurt leg to make sure his friend wasn't in pain. "You're sure this is okay? I mean, you only stared walking again three days ago…"

"I'm not running a marathon or anything here Mark, plus I have the crutches if it starts to hurt," Callie snapped, her eyes fixed on the gate where she knew Arizona would appear.

"Geez," Mark muttered. "Blondie better get back soon, you're a lot meaner without her constant cheeriness to rub off on you."

"Sorry," Callie muttered. However Mark was instantly forgotten when a familiar blonde emerged form the gate area, followed by Callie's niece who was clutching a fish tank close to her chest.

"There she is!" Mark pointed, "Wait? Why does Mini Torres have a reptile cage?"

"Goldfish, Mr. Happy is a goldfish," Callie corrected, a huge smile twisting up her lips as Arizona caught sight of her.

Half running, half Heeleying over; Arizona rushed over to Callie, almost bowling the brunette over in her haste. Pulling Callie in a tight, rib-cracking hug Arizona buried her face against Callie's shoulder for an instant before reaching up and tugging the brunette down for a kiss.

To Mark's obvious delight the kiss lasted a bit too long for the appropriate welcome-home kiss. A bright, dimpled smile formed on Arizona's face she pulled away, still hugging her girlfriend tightly.

"Missed you," she stated simply, placing a quick kiss on Callie's nose and looking in the brown eyes that she had been missing.

"No more going away for you," Callie murmured, emphasizing her point with another kiss. "Unless of course I get to go with you."

"Can I come?" Mark asked suggestively, with a raised eyebrow. Callie smirked, she would have liked to have been able to hit Mark, but both of her hands were wrapped tightly around Arizona. She really didn't feel like letting go.

"No, you may not come… but when we go on trips you can feed Mr. Happy. Wait!" Arizona paused looking at Callie for a moment. "You're standing... without bandages or anything... Oh my god!"

"Yeah, I still have to use crutches sometimes… but I'm standing," if possible, Arizona hugged Callie tighter, her blue eyes vivid with happiness, an expression that was mirrored in Callie's face.

At that moment, Ana walked up beside Arizona and Callie, looking up at them indignantly. "Is that how you walk so fast? I want some wheelie shoes too!"

* * *

**A/N: So.. I know there wasn't a lot about Arizona in Miami, but I'm saving that for maybe two or three chapter from now when Callie, Arizona and Ana go back to visit Miami...**

**I have a question: Which update do you want next, New History or Tidal Wave? =D**

**Reviews are always loved :)**


	19. A Day in the Life

**A/N: So, I was kind of overwhelmed (in a good way) by how many people reviewed and actually liked _From a Whisper to a Scream_, so… I'm going to continue it after I finish this story. Yeppers.**

**I kind of have a dilemma here peoples :D I could either finish up this story in two chapters, or I could finish up Tidal Wave… which do you guys prefer? Also, thank you SO MUCH for all the reviews last chapter, you guys are all awesome :D**

**This was supposed to be a dark and twisty story full of ANGST... where is my angst? Oh no... this is another chapter full of fluffy-ness so.. enjoy :D It's just sort of random bits of their day... etc, but the ending is interesting...**

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen**

(About a week later…)

"Higher!" Ana pointed to the far right corner of the wall; the only section of her room not painted a bright pink. "You gotta paint the ENTIRE wall Auntie Cristina! Otherwise it looks ugly."

Glaring at the small child, Cristina groaned and stepped down from the ladder, handing the brush over to Callie who had been 'supervising' the entire painting ordeal, or really reading a magazine in the corner while Cristina was blackmailed into finishing the painting job.

"Here." She jabbed the brush toward Callie, splattering the front of the brunette's shirt and parts of her face with a few drops of pink paint.

"Hey!" Callie wiped a glob of the strawberry colored paint off of her face and looked down at her shirt. "What was that for?"

"One, it was for being lazy and reading _my _surgery magazine while Mini Torres orders me around. Two, for letting the toddler choose _pink. _I mean, I can't believe I live in an apartment with a room bright enough to give someone a seizure. And, three, for blackmailing me."

"I didn't blackmail you!" Callie protested, grabbing the brush from Cristina's outstretched hand. "I merely _suggested_ that if you didn't paint I would _ask _Arizona to tell Teddy she needs you in PEDS for the next few weeks, or you know… months."

"Nobody's painting!" Ana pointed to the corner of the wall that was still adamantly white against the bright pink surroundings.

"Fine, fine." Standing up, Callie took a few steps onto to the ladder and finished off the wall with a few messy strokes of paint. "There," she turned toward Ana with a raised eyebrow. "Happy?"

"Awesome!"

"Sheesh, she's been spending way to much time with Blondie," Cristina remarked, pausing in the doorway. "I'm out of here, that is-"

"I promise not to ask Arizona to put you on her PEDs service, you're free to go," Callie replied with a smirk. She could have asked Mark to paint but really Cristina was easier to blackmail, Mark would have made her help.

"Bye Auntie Cristina," Ana called after the disappearing resident as she stood in the middle of her newly painted bedroom.

"See ya Mini Torres," Cristina yelled over her shoulder as she grabbed her coat and prepared to head over to Owen's apartment then the hospital to begin a twelve hour shift. "Please annoy Callie while I'm gone."

Ana turned toward Callie, who was busy putting away the assortment of paint brushes and cans of paint they had used, with a gleeful smile.

"Don't you dare kiddo," Callie threatened with a mock glare as wiped a glob of paint off the floor. The offending spill was the result of Cristina attempt to enlist Ana's help. The five year old had been banned from touching the paint after she had spilled an entire can on the floor and all over Callie's jeans. "I'm the one with the dinner you're supposed to be eating soon."

"Calliope!" Arizona stood in the doorway, momentarily surveying their painting handiwork before frowning at Callie. "Are you threatening to starve your niece?" She asked, the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Uhm… only if she annoys me," Callie joked, shooting her niece a mock glare.

"I promise I won't, I _really _want pizza," Ana looked hopefully between her two aunts, and now adoptive parents, both of whom looked like they were fighting the urge to laugh.

"Okay, can you go grab the take out menu, I think it's in the drawer in the kitchen with the others." Ana nodded, dashing out of the room and hurriedly rifling through the drawers.

"Hey," Callie smiled, pecking Arizona lightly on the lips and twining her arms around the blonde's waist. "you're home early."

"I got out of surgery early, and Bailey was covering the ER, so," Arizona shrugged, "I decided to come home and see how you're painting was going."

"Very well, Cristina helped _a lot._"

Arizona raised an eyebrow, "Really? I thought she swore she would sooner vomit than help us defile the apartment by painting a room pink?"

"She… uh… changed her mind. She was _very _eager to help for some reason-" Callie stopped as they both heard a loud bang as Ana shoved a drawer shut.

"What on earth is she doing?" Arizona asked with a giggle as she twisted in the brunette's arms and pushed her against the wall, placing a light kiss on her girlfriend's lips before leaning in and-

"I have the menu!" Ana yelled, running back into the room brandishing a red and green menu from her favorite Pizza restaurant. Arizona quickly released Callie's waist backing up a few feet as Callie blushed.

"Great, you know what you want right?" Arizona asked, handing the menu to Callie who looked it over quickly.

"Auntie Callie?" Ana asked, giggling.

"Yeah?"

"Why are your clothes all pink?"

"Wha-" Callie twisted around, her eyes widening as she saw the back of her jacket, the back of her hair and parts of her jeans, were indeed pink. "Arizona!"

"What?" Callie gestured wordlessly to the state of her clothes. "How did you do tha… oh…" Arizona blushed, regretting pushing her girlfriend against a wall that had apparently been covered in wet, pink paint. "Whoops…" She shot Callie a very guilty and apologetic smile.

"You look like a strawberry!" Ana laughed eliciting a glare from her aunt that wasn't quite as good humored as before. Even Arizona couldn't stifle her giggles, which only increased at the livid expression on her girlfriend's face.

"Very funny," Callie muttered stalking out of the room, "I'm showering now since _someone _apparently can't control herself. There'd better be pizza when I get out!"

* * *

The next morning, The Chief had given Arizona the day off and it was the last day before Callie returned to Seattle Grace after the accident, the recovery and the time it took to get Ana settled in to their home.

It was also Ana's first day at her new school, and apparently she wasn't very excited.

"I'm NOT going!" She exclaimed, crossing her arms over her chest and refusing to get out of the car.

"Honey, it's just like school in Miami," Callie coaxed as she looked helplessly at Arizona who was in the passenger seat of the car. "You liked school there, right?"

"No I didn't. I was boring, and the teachers gave us gross food for snack time... Why do we even need school? I can go to work with you!" Callie grimaced, asking a child if they _like _school… good idea.

"Ana, school is like your job… sort of…" Arizona tried, shooting the girl a reassuring smile. "Callie and I have to go to the hospital when we have to work, and you have to go here… plus we'll be back to pick you up in a few hours anyway."

"Promise?"

"Of course silly," Callie opened the car door, walking around and opening the door on Ana's side. "We'll come in with you, and at two fifteen we'll be back to pick you up."

"Okay," Ana agreed reluctantly. She picked up her backpack, pink, as always, and grabbed Callie's hand as Arizona followed them toward the school. "But if the snack food is gross, I'm not eating it." She nodded decisively, tightening her grip on Callie's hand.

"We're here," Arizona announced as they stopped up to the front door. "See, it's not so bad… at least on the outside." Callie elbowed Arizona in the side over Ana's head, "Oh… and on the inside in the classrooms and stuff it's great too."

Ana leaned up, giving Callie and quick hug before doing the same with Arizona.

"Have fun," Ana pushed open the door, waving at the two of them before disappearing inside the school building.

"We're not so bad," Arizona remarked as they walked, hand in hand back toward the car.

"Hmm?"

"At the whole parent thing, we're not so bad," Arizona answered with a grin.

"You're right," the brunette returned Arizona's smile. "In fact, we might even be _awesome."_

"Don't mock the awesome Calliope," Arizona pouted, sitting back down in the passenger seat and shutting the door.

"Never. I would _never _mock the awesome."

* * *

**(That afternoon)**

"How much do I feed him?" Arizona asked, standing in front of Mr. Happy's tank where the goldfish, that Ana still swore was smiling, swam in slow circles. She didn't see the smile, she had tried, but nope. No smile.

That morning before she went off to her first day of school, Ana had informed Arizona that they were out of goldfish food. She had been worried that Mr. Happy was going to get sick if she didn't feed him that day so Arizona and Callie had promised to go buy fish food and feed him as soon as they could. After spending an hour in the pet store trying to figure out which food was the right kind, while Callie grumbled about the perils of having pets, they had managed to come home successful, with one can of goldfish food.

"Just read the label," Callie called from the living room. "It should say how much food he needs."

"It doesn't say anything," Arizona called back after scanning the colorful label on the bottle. There were numerous pictures of fish but no feeding instructions.

"Then just estimate," Callie replied, Arizona head a thump and a muffled Spanish curse coming from the living room.

Staring down at the bottle, Arizona unscrewed the cap and poured a bit of the brown flakey substance into her palm. She looked in at Mr. Happy briefly before returned the food to its container and walking into the living room.

"Can you do it?" Arizona asked with embarrassment, holding out the fish food can toward Callie.

"What?" Callie looked up, eyeing the can in Arizona's hand, "Feed Mr. Happy?"

"Um… yeah…"

"Why?" Callie laughed, grabbing the can from Arizona and walking over to the fish tank.

"I don't have the best luck… with… uhm… pets…" She admitted, "Fish, hamsters, even crickets," Arizona winced, "pets and I just don't mix well."

"Come here," Callie motioned toward the fish tank and Arizona reluctantly came to stand next to her. "Here," Callie handed her the can and stepped back.

"No I really don't-"

Callie wrapped her arms around Arizona's waist, resting her head in the crook of Arizona's neck and looking over her shoulder.

"Just take a small amount out of the can," Callie instructed, watching as Arizona took a small pinch of fish food out and looked at Callie.

"Is this enough?" Callie nodded. "So I just put it in… right?" Callie nodded again, suppressing a grin at Arizona's nervousness.

Arizona dropped the flaky fish food into the tank. She tensed as if she was waiting for something to go wrong.

"Arizona,"Callie coaxed, "Mr. Happy is a fish. All he really needs is a little bit of food and for someone to clean his tank every so often… really, you're not going to kill him." She laughed, earning an embarrassed frown from her girlfriend.

"I wouldn't be so sure. As a child we had a fish, named Vermont-" Callie snorted, breaking into a fit of giggles.

"Seriously who names a fish-"

"I'm telling a heart breaking story here," Arizona reprimanded, nudging Callie with her elbow a she watched Ana's fish swim up to nibble at the fish food. "Anyway, Vermont lived to be sixteen years old. Except, when I was going off to college my brother told me that out parents used to go to the pet store and buy a new fish every time 'Vermont' died… apparently as I child I had bad luck with fish…"

"I promise, I won't let you kill Mr. Happy," Callie assured the blonde, still giggling faintly. She pressed a light kiss against Arizona's neck. "I thought you had a thing for chickens, so is it just fish that you know… terrify you…"

"Chickens," Arizona brightened, putting the food can back down on the table next to the fish tank "we should totally get chickens!"

"We live in an apartment," the brunette reminded her with a bemused smirk.

"I know, if we ever move into a house together… we _need _chickens."

"Okay, but are we going to have to buy Ana a new Mr. Happy if he dies?" Arizona nodded, smiling slightly as she leaned back into Callie's embrace.

"Yep. Well, at least until she's older."

"Speaking of Ana, well… We were speaking about Mr. Happy but you know, it's time to go pick her up from school."

* * *

That night, after Ana insisted on watching Finding Nemo, they managed to get Ana to bed by eight o'clock. She had loved her first day at school despite her doubts about the school's snack time. Apparently the teachers let the students have half an hour for recess instead of fifteen minutes like her school in Miami, so in Ana's eyes, the school could do no wrong.

"That was a long day," Arizona remarked, leaning back against the couch as Callie handed her a glass of wine.

"Yeah," Callie agreed quietly, her fingers tapping anxiously against the counter. Something had been on her mind since a couple of weeks after the accident.

She hadn't planned it, but after they had picked Ana up from school she was rummaging around in the drawer of her dresser looking for something and she had seen it... The box... Her dad had given it to her before they left for Miami. It felt like it weighed a hundred pounds in her pocket and she fumbled with it nervously as Arizona's talked.

"I'm glad she likes her school, I was kind of worried after this morning that she wasn't going to like it," Arizona took a sip of wine, looking up at Callie.

"Um… yeah," the brunette replied. She didn't come sit down on the couch next to Arizona instead she remained standing at the counter, nervously fidgeting with something in her pocket.

"Calliope, is everything okay?" She asked sitting up and peering up at her girlfriend with concern.

"Yeah… I'm good…"

"That's the third time you've said 'yeah' in the past minute, Calliope… What's up?"

"I'm just… I'm nervous, I wanted to ask you something."

"Okay…"

"We've been through a lot lately, with the fire and Ana coming to stay with us…" Arizona nodded, confused by the direction the conversation had gone but not unfamiliar with Callie's rambling ways. "And through all of it, you've never wavered. Even when I was being a complete and total idiot and trying to push you away, you still stayed with me… I have no idea why, but you did. You stayed, and I love you for that…" Callie paused but she cast a nervous glance at Arizona who was sitting on the couch, still very confused, and continued.

"I love that you're afraid of fish but you really want a house with a whole bunch of chickens. I love that you were willing to stay in and eat pizza with me instead of going out to expensive restaurants. I love that you weren't afraid of my father who scares away most people and that you yelled at Erica Hahn for me. I love that you kissed me in a dirty bar bathroom because if you hadn't I don't think I would have ever gotten up the courage to speak to you. I love your Heeley's and how cheerful you are, even at four in the morning except on certain days when you need to eat donuts... You saw through the mess I was when we first met, and I love you. I want to spend forever with you, and I want to get the big white house with the picket fence and the… chickens as long as I have you… So," Callie fumbled in her pocket before pulling out a box.

"Will you marry me?"

* * *

**A/N: So, yeah...**

**I need your input:**

**I could finished up this story with one more chapter, it's going to be a flash foreword... OR I could finish up Tidal Wave... I could just pick, but I want to know what you think...**

**Reviews=Love**


	20. Pictures of Us

**A/N: So…. This is it… last chapter… Thanks for sticking with this story for 20 chapters, love you all :D**

**Quick note- After the time skip, Callie/AZ have another child named Emily. She's six, Ana is then 13.**

**All lyrics from from the song that inspired this story. Pictures of You by The Last Goodnight**

* * *

**Pictures of You**

**Chapter Twenty**

_**Pictures of you**_

_**Pictures of me**_

_**Hung up on your wall for the world to see**_

_**Pictures of you**_

_**Pictures of me**_

_**Remind us all of what we used to be**_

_'Will you marry me?'_

The question hung in the air for a brief moment as fear clenched in Callie's chest. Surprise dominated Arizona's face but slowly a huge grin replaced the wide-eyed shock.

"Wait right here." Arizona commanded with a huge grin as Callie's eyes opened wide in surprise and frankly a bit of terror. The blonde got up quickly, dashing into their bedroom with one last adoring glance in the brunette's direction.

Sitting there, still holding out the ring like a frozen mannequin Callie felt like an idiot. _She's probably trying to pop the bedroom window open so she can escape, _Callie thought bitterly looking down at the ring in her palm. _Oh geez I hope she doesn't do that, we're on the fourth floor… This was a STUPID idea… Stupid, relationship wrecking decision… Kudos Callie just-_

"Okay," Arizona practically bounded back into the room clutching something secretively behind her back.

"Uhm…" Callie stuttered as she began closing the box and shoving it back into her pocket. "You know we can just-"

_**Confess to me**_

_**Every secret moment**_

_**Every stolen promise you've believed**_

"Shhh," Arizona placed a light finger over Callie's lips holding up a black velvet box of her own. "I was going to ask you… soon… but you beat me to it." She grinned and enjoyed the astonishment and relief that flitted across her girlfriend's face. "Now, since you got to give a speech, I think it's only fair…"

Callie nodded, still clutching the box in her pocket as hope welled in her chest, outpacing the fear by a mile.

_**Confess to me**_

_**All that lies between us**_

_**All that lies between you and me**_

Arizona took a deep breath, fixing Callie with her blue-eyed gaze, all traces of the teasing gone from her features. "I know you think I found you," she began as Callie held her breath. "And maybe I did, but you found me too… you _saw _me. For once, someone didn't just see me as a perky, bubbly pediatrician. Most of the time, the perky and the bubbly? That's who I am, but you saw the good, and you saw the bad. You saw a woman who uses words like 'awesome' and 'super' because in my world things are… awesome and super but you also saw the woman who eats donuts by the dozen when she's upset. You didn't run screaming in the opposite direction when I wasn't cheery; instead you pushed me until I told you what was wrong so you could help… I love you for that. I want to love you forever and I know I will," she flipped the lid of the box open holding it out toward Callie with a hopeful smile. "Marry me?"

"I asked you first," Callie stuttered, holding out her own ring with a thousand watt smile on her lips.

"Yes. A zillion times yes," Arizona answered closing the distance between them and pouring all the love she felt for the other woman into a kiss.

Callie gently took Arizona's hand, lacing their fingers together for a brief moment before sliding the ring on Arizona's ring finger. Arizona did the same for Callie marveling at how their hands fit together…

"We just got engaged," Arizona murmured reverently, her thumb tracing circles on the back of Callie's hand. "It feels a little bit like I'm dreaming, after all that's happened this past month."

"I know," Callie replied softly, her mind flashing briefly back to the fire and her weeks in the hospital. Through all that Arizona had been her constant, so this felt like the right way to finish that period of time. "but you're not dreaming, I promise," she finished with a huge smile as Arizona looked up at her with joy swirling in her blue eyes.

"We're engaged," Arizona repeated, wrapping her arms around Callie's neck and teasingly brushing her lips against the brunette's.

"We are," Callie answered as she tangled her fingers in Arizona's blonde curls and pulled Arizona in for a kiss.

"I think," Arizona murmured in between kisses, her breath hitching as Callie's lips moved to her neck. "We should celebrate…. Fiancé," she smirked, standing upright and pulling Callie with her toward their bedroom.

* * *

**(8 years later)**

"Ana Torres!" Callie yelled through the bedroom door, that Ana had insisted be painted pink. She knocked loudly, "you'd better be dressed in five minutes! You'll get detention if you're late again… or something…"

Ana yanked the door open, appearing fully dressed with her backpack in hand, "I was late three times last month because either Arizona or yourself had been paged to the hospital and I had to wait for uncle Mark to give me a ride," she replied smugly. "So you can blame Mark for my spectacular attendance record."

"Ana!" A blur of blonde hair appeared in the doorway, poking her head around Callie. "Guess what mommy says?"

"What Emily?" Ana asked warily, looking amused by the six year old's excitement.

"She says that, grandma and grandpa are coming today," the blonde haired, blue eyed girl flashed Callie and Ana a dimpled smile. "They're going to stay here for two days and everything!"

"Awesome," Ana grinned down at her sister, "are they coming after school?"

"Yep." The blonde's brow furrowed in concentration for an instant. "At six thirty," she declared triumphantly, pleased with herself for remembering. She turned toward Callie, wrapping her small arms around Callie's waist, "Good morning mommy."

"Good morning sweetie," Callie said, ruffling her daughter's hair as Arizona walked up behind them.

"Is everybody ready?" She asked, "I'm going to drop you guys off at school today, but we have to give Cristina a ride to the hospital first."

Arizona and Callie had moved out of Cristina's apartment to one a few floors down, but the cardio surgeon occasionally demanded rides to work when she was running late.

"Cristina?" Ana's eyes lit up. For some reason that neither Arizona or Callie could understand, Ana idolized Cristina and Ana seemed to be the one child that Cristina could tolerate without threatening to practice her new suturing technique on them.

"Yep, she was running late today," Arizona answered as both children followed after her toward the doorway where Cristina was impatiently waiting. "I'll meet you guys down at the car," Arizona called to Ana and Emily who had grabbed her older sister's hand and was dragging her excitedly out of the apartment.

"I'll see you guys when you get home," Callie yelled after them, laughing slightly at the odd sight of Cristina being followed by a thirteen year old and a six year old who was practically bouncing up and down in her excitement.

Arizona turned her perceptive, blue-eyed gaze toward her wife, wrapping her arms around Callie's waist.

"Are you okay?" She asked softly, searching the brunette's face.

"I'm fine," Callie assured her, placing a quick kiss of the blonde's cheek. "I'm going to go visit her before I head into work."

Arizona nodded, "If you need anything-"

"Arizona," Callie cut her off with a small smile, "I'm fine, but if I need anything, I'll call you. I promise." The blonde nodded, grabbing her purse before heading toward the door.

"Meet me for lunch?" Arizona asked jokingly as she rifled through her purse for her car keys.

"Of course." Callie smiled, and gave her wife one last kiss before walking toward the kitchen to get breakfast, "see you in a few hours."

* * *

Callie set the flowers down against the smooth face of the gravestone, letting her fingers trail over the engraved letters that spelled out her sister's name. She sat on the grass next to the grave, not minding the dew littering the stems of the grass.

"Hey Aria," Callie mumbled toward the gravestone. She had been doing this once a year for eight years, and every time it was still awkward.

"Ana's doing well…" Callie began, "She's thirteen now, and I think she has a crush on one of the boys in her class, but she won't admit it… She's an amazing kid, Aria. You'd be so proud of her, and if you're watching… somehow, I bet you are. She's still getting straight As, except in history class, but really, can you blame her?" Callie shuddered, allowing a reminiscent smile, and crease her lips. "I seem to remember you failing history spectacularly in eighth grade," she laughed, "dad took your credit card away for a month…"

Callie fell silent, staring at the words etched into the stone.

_Aria Torres_

_Loving mother, daughter, sister and friend_

_1974-2009_

"She looks more and more like you everyday Aria, sometimes I look at her, and it's you staring back at me… She stays up late to all hours the way you used to do and she's thinking of trying out for the cheerleading team when she gets to high school… She's just like you… And… She's an amazing sister to Emily, the way you were to me… Well," Callie laughed softly, "for the most part anyway. That little girl idolizes Ana, she's always trying to copy her, and act like her… It's hilarious to watch them together." Callie brushed a few stray hairs away from her face a reached out a hand to touch the stone.

"Arizona and I will take good care of her for you, I promise… She still misses you, she wants to be tough, so she doesn't show it… but she misses you. I miss you too, you know… I wish more than anything you could see her again…" Callie ran out of words to say, the sadness building in her chest was overwhelming as she sat on the grass. She let a few tears slip out of the corners of her eyes before she stood up, staring sadly down at the headstone.

"Goodbye Aria… I'll see you next year," She murmured, straightening the flowers one last time.

Abruptly, Callie felt a pair of warm arms slip around her waist, and a familiar body pressed up against her back.

"Arizona," Callie turned around in the blonde's embrace, trying to wipe the tearstains off of her face. "What are you doing here?"

"Calliope," Arizona held up her watch, "it's past noon… I figured since you weren't caught up in surgery… you must still be here so… you might need… someone…" She rambled, nervous that Callie would be annoyed that she had interrupted. It amazed Callie that after seven years of marriage and a year of engagement Arizona still rambled whenever she was nervous around Callie.

"Thank you," the brunette replied in a soft murmur, watching as Arizona relaxed and held her tighter. "I just can't believe it's been eight years… Eight years ago today…"

"I know… some days, it feels like yesterday… other days, it feels like a lifetime ago," Arizona replied, looking sadly down at Aria's grave. "But she would be so proud of Ana, and of you for being such a good mother to her…"

"And you," Callie reminded her wife, threading their fingers together. "We helped to raise her together, it wasn't just me…"

They fell into a comfortable silence before Callie took Arizona's hand and began leading her away from the gravestone.

"Callie… you don't have too leave… I mean, if you want, you should stay longer…"

"It's fine. I'm glad I came, and on this day every year, I miss her like crazy… But life goes on and I should get back… Aria would probably yell at me anyway if she saw me crying over her gravestone, she wasn't one for mushy public displays of affection." Arizona nodded, following Callie toward the car, but she stopped.

"I'm sure she would be glad Calliope, you know, that you visit… Once a year, I don't think she would mind mushy public displays of affections," Arizona smiled reassuringly at the brunette, eliciting a laugh from Callie.

"Maybe… but Bailey will _definitely_ yell at me if I'm late to run the ER today."

* * *

"Can I help?" Emily asked, tugging on Callie's shirt as her mother stood by the stove, stirring the sauce for the pasta she was making.

"Uhm…" Callie looked around the kitchen, spying a bowl of lettuce she had meant to put salad dressing on, she pointed to it and handed the little girl the bottle. "Sure, why don't you go put the dressing on the salad over there."

Emily nodded, excited, and grabbed the bottle from Callie. Thinking she had successfully amused her daughter, Callie turned back to the sauce but a few minutes later, Emily returned, proudly holding up an empty salad dressing bottle.

"All done," Emily announced, handing Callie the bottle.

"Good job sweetie-" Wait. Callie looked at the bottle then back at the bowl on the table. "Emily, did you put _all _of the dressing in?"

"Yep," the little girl beamed. Callie groaned, quickly disguising her annoyance as her daughter began to look disappointed.

"You know, you seem to have inherited your other mom's cooking skills… I might have to ban you from the kitchen…" She grinned, grabbing the bowl of salad and wincing as she saw that it was in fact inedible as it was drowning in massive amounts of ranch dressing.

"Why don't you go find Arizona, I'll bet she'll let you watch a movie until grandma and grandpa get here." Callie laughed as her daughter's face instantly brightened and she dashed off down the hall, looking for Arizona.

"Hey," Ana wandered into the kitchen a few minutes later, casting a sidelong glance at the salad. "What on earth is that?" She gestured at the oozing mess.

"Oh… I let your sister help me with the cooking," Ana giggled grabbing the bowl and looking at his with disgust.

"You're not going to try to feed this to us are you?" She asked smirking, Callie shook her head, turning off the stove. "Want me to throw it out?"

Callie looked sadly at the salad before nodding, "I don't think anyone would want to eat that."

Ana laughed, agreeing with her aunt before she tossed the rest of the salad in the garbage can. She grabbing another bag of lettuce out of the fridge and a different bottle of dressing and quickly organized them into an edible salad, very different from Emily's creation.

As she was doing this, she looked nervously up at Callie. "It's today, isn't it?"

"Hmm?" Callie looked up from the pasta.

"Today… it's the day of the accident…"

"Oh," Callie murmured. "Yes, eight years ago today…" She replied, scrutinizing her niece's face.

"Oh…" Ana said nothing for a few more minutes, silently tossing the salad and setting the bowl out on the table.

"I still miss her," Ana stated abruptly, looking up from the salad. "I barely remember her sometimes, but I still miss her…"

Callie put the spoon down on the counter and pulled her niece into a hug. "I know, I still miss her sometimes too." Callie admitted, as Ana buried her face against Callie's shoulder the way she used to do when she was little.

"I don't want you to think that… I don't like living with you and Arizona, because I do… a lot, but I just…"

"Hey," Callie pulled back and looked at Ana with surprise. "You're allowed to miss her Ana. We know it doesn't mean that you don't want to live with us. More than anything I wish Aria was here, so you could live with her, but that doesn't mean I don't love having you here. I don't want you ever to feel guilty about that." Ana looked relieved and she nodded, managing a small smile. "Aria would be so proud of you and she loved you very much... It's okay to miss her."

"I really do… like living with you guys and Emily…" Ana remarked softly, making sure that her aunt knew.

"I know you do," Callie smiled and put an arm around her niece's shoulders. "I'm glad, and Emily especially loves having you… She really looks up to you," Ana laughed and as if you cue Emily's voice sounded from down the hall.

"Ana!" The six year old yelled. "Mommy said we could watch Finding Nemo, but I'm not supposed to tell mom because-" She dashed into the hall, clamping a hand over her mouth when she saw that Callie was standing there.

Callie raised an eyebrow, "And why aren't you supposed to tell me?"

"Oops," Emily flashed Callie and dimpled smile and employed puppy dog eyes that both Ana and Emily had mastered and that Callie was sure Arizona was teaching to their children. "C'mon," she whispered to Ana tugging her older sister's hand.

"Are you okay?" Callie asked Ana quietly, while Emily looked nervously at Callie, worried that she had spilled some huge secret.

"I'm fine," Ana answered with a smile following Emily down the hall.

Arizona appeared in the kitchen a moment later, looking both amused and guilty as Callie mock-glared at her.

"Why was Emily not supposed to tell me that they were watching finding Nemo?" Callie asked with a smug grin.

"Because," Arizona explained, wrapping her hands around Callie's waist. "You threatened to snap the disc in half in either of them tried to get you to watch that movie again," Arizona teased. Both girls were oddly obsessed with that movie and unless Callie could tempt them with other movies, they rarely watched anything else.

"I don't get it," Callie whined, "How do they like it so much… It's talking fish!" She grumbled, pouring the sauce over the pasta and stirring it.

"I have no idea either," Arizona admitted grinning, and placing a light kiss against Callie's cheek. "Although I heard that you told Emily she inherited my cooking skills. I'll have you know, I'm very insulted."

"Please, I love you Arizona, but you almost burnt the house down trying to make toast…"

"Fine," Arizona sighed, that had actually happened she recalled guiltily. She had set off a smoke alarm and their entire floor had to evacuate. "What did she do?"

"I let her put dressing on the salad."

"What did she-"

"She used the entire bottle," Arizona giggled, picturing their youngest child pouring an entire bottle of dressing onto a salad.

"Is Ana okay, with today and everything?" She asked once the giggles had died down, Callie nodded and set the bowl of pasta down on the table.

"She asked me about it… I think she was feeling guilty, like if she missed Aria that meant she didn't like living with us…" Arizona's eyes widened.

"Really?" Callie nodded, "Calliope that's horrible… She really thought that…"

"I told her it was fine, that she shouldn't feel guilty, and that I miss Aria too sometimes." She said and Arizona nodded again.

"She's okay now though? I can't imagine even feeling like that… You don't think we made her think that-"

"She's fine," Callie comforted her wife. She loved that Arizona had grown to care so much about Ana. "I don't think we made her feel that way… but I told her that we didn't think that her missing her mother meant she liked living with us less."

"Do you miss her, often?" Arizona asked cautiously, once again wrapping her arms around Callie's waist and peering up at her wife's face.

"Sometimes… but it doesn't hurt as badly to miss her anymore," Callie explained. "Before I could only remember the fire and I was filled with this horrible guilt and regret, but now… I can think of the happier times, with us as children…" She shrugged as Arizona nodded, "It got easier, just like you told me it would, eight years ago."

Arizona's eyes widened for an instant but a small smile curved her lips as she remembered. "I do give very good advice," she replied teasingly effectively lightening the mood.

"You do," Callie said, dropping a quick kiss on Arizona's lips. "Hey, can you go feed Mr. Happy? I think Ana forgot this morning."

It had taken a while, longer than Arizona would like to admit, but she had gotten over her fear of feeding the fish. Surprisingly, Mr. Happy was still alive, there had been an incident where Ana had almost flushed him down the sink while trying to clean his tank, but Mr. Happy was still there… swimming in circles.

"Sure" Arizona reached over and grabbed the fish food, walking over to Mr. Happy's tank,

"Calliope!" Arizona called a few seconds later, "come, quick!"

Worriedly, Callie brushed her hands off and went to stand next to Arizona, thinking that the fish was dead. He was still there swimming in slow, never ending circles.

"Uhm… what?" She asked, watching as Arizona looked into the tank with amazement.

"Look!"

"I don't see anything…"

"He is smiling!"

_**Pictures of you**_

_**Pictures of me**_

_**Remind us all of what we could have been**_

_**What could have been**_

_**We could have been**_

**The End**

**

* * *

**

**That's it… THE END… Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. I'm sad to see it end, but despite all the angst at the beginning, I'm glad I could end on a mostly happy note.**

**Reviews are almost as cool as Mr. Happy :)**


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